


Helljumpers

by WritingOnTheWall



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Allied Powers, Alternate Universe - World War II, Eventual Buck/Dare, Gen, German Army, Language, Marine Corps, ODST Orbital Drop Shock Trooper(s), Office of Strategic Services, Paratroopers, Resistance, Smoking, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 64,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27693649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingOnTheWall/pseuds/WritingOnTheWall
Summary: 1943. As the world burns in the fiery grasp of the Second World War, the Allies utilize special forces to be deployed all over enemy territory to give them an edge over the Axis. James Delaney, a Marine who barely passed his boot camp, is asked to join an elite squad of Paramarines in perilous, almost suicidal missions in Nazi-occupied Europe. Read on and follow "The Rookie" and Alpha-Nine as they fight to free Europe from the brink of tyranny.Prepare to Drop
Comments: 11
Kudos: 13





	1. James Delaney

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. New fandom (ironic because I love Halo). I hope you enjoy.
> 
> PS, probably won't be updated as frequently as other stories, but still expect them somewhat quickly.

_Naval Air Station_

_Lakehurst, New Jersey_

_June 12 th, 1943_

It was an incredibly hot day at NAS Lakehurst, and yet the entire base was abuzz with activity. The United States Navy used the station as the main base for its lighter-than-air program, housing hanger areas for their airships and other naval air personnel.

However, NAS Lakehurst wasn’t home to just US Navy use. Set up within the base was the school utilized to train an elite group of soldiers: the United States Marine Corps “Paramarines”.

Already showing their mettle at training, the newly christened Marines were given the option to volunteer for a spot with the Paramarines. Many volunteered, not knowing what they would face.

The eager men wound up finding themselves facing even _more_ intense training. Practice jumps ranged from jumping off a platform six feet high to leaping from towers two-hundred feet high. Altitude tolerance, controlling oneself in the air, and how to properly prepare your chute were also shown; with your chute hung your life. All of this was supplemented by even more physical activity like running, hiking, and marching they did at regular Marine training to ensure they were in tip-top physical shape.

It was not for the faint of heart. The standards that needed to be met were high, and only about sixty percent of the men that volunteered to be a Paramarine were able to make it.

High in the skies above the base, a Douglas C-47 aircraft flew. Inside were twelve of the prospective Paramarines. Their harnesses were strapped to them, their chutes folded for deployment, and their reserves at the ready in case something went wrong. They all had emotionless gazes on their faces as the plane continued to fly.

Standing at the front of the plane was the group’s Jump Master. He looked to the men and yelled over the engines’ roar, “Okay men! Welcome to your final jump! Your objective is to jump from this plane and steer yourself towards the marked spot on the ground! If you land inside of it, you pass! Outside, you fail!”

The men all nodded as the Master looked out the open door. “Alright, get ready!” Immediately, the Marines grabbed the snap hooks with their left hands.

“Stand up!” the Master shouted. The men stood and grabbed the static line with their right hands. “Hook up!” the Master yelled

The men hooked themselves to the static line, pulling a few times to ensure that they were properly attached. The Master observed the men and yelled, “Check equipment!”

The men began checking themselves, making sure their harnesses were secure, their chutes weren’t sticking out, and that their reserves were tightly in place. They then turned around and checked the person behind them.

“Sound off!” the Master yelled.

One by one starting from the back of the line, each Marine counted down from twelve, adding "Okay!" after each number shouted to signal that their check was done and they were ready to jump.

“Is everybody happy?!” the Master cried.

“Yes!” the men answered.

The Master looked out the open door and back in. “Line up to the door!”

The men advanced to the door and the first one stood with his left foot a few inches outside. The Master’s arm blocked the doorway.

“Are you ready?!” the Master yelled.

“Yes!” the men replied.

The Master pulled his arm back. “Go! Go! Go!”

The first man at the door pivoted his foot and jumped out. His clip yanked on the static line, pulling it out for about fifteen feet before his chute opened and deployed. Almost as soon as his chute opened, the second followed suit, then the third, and then the subsequent others.

Within eight seconds, all twelve men had exited the plane and were now slowly falling back down to the ground. As they descended they looked all over the ground for their target area. Suddenly, some of them took notice to a spot in a field–a circle only about ten yards in diameter was marked for them.

The men, using the skills they had developed over the weeks of training, maneuvered towards the spot on the ground. They circled high in the air, giving themselves plenty of time to plan out their landing to ensure they landed within the circle. Below them and next to it were several other officers to observe them

Finally, the first men landed. They properly tuck and rolled themselves before springing back to their feet. More followed, some with landings that weren’t as graceful but they managed to land on their feet.

However, the last one was coming in a little hot. He yelled as he face-planted onto the ground right in the center of the circle. He groaned as he struggled through his parachute and his fellow men helped him out. He got to his feet just as one of the officers walked over.

“Excellent jump, Marines,” he commended. He turned to the one who didn’t land on his feet and said, “Your landing was less than graceful, but you still made it within the target zone.”

The men all cheered in celebration as the officer quieted them down. “Now, head back to base for further instructions.” A Jeep pulled up and he climbed in. “March!”

The men’s smiles all fell as they realized they had to trek all the way back to their base. Sighing, they all hustled across the field in the direction of the base.

…

The men arrived back at the base fifteen minutes later. Despite the long trip back, they weren’t tired; all of their previous training practically increased their endurance.

“Men, form up!”

The men jumped and immediately formed up into a three-by-four group. Their DI, Sergeant Cobb, walked in front of them

“Men!” Cobb yelled. “You are now in the final days of your training! In two days, you will no longer be simple Marines, but elite warriors of the Paramarines!”

The men looked at each other in excitement. For weeks they had endured a new type of Hell from their regular Marine training. Through blistering heat and pouring rain, covered in mud, sweat, and a little blood, they pushed themselves to the limit.

“However!” Cobb added. “Until that glorious day, you little bastards are still mine! You ain’t getting breaks in the warzone, and you’ll get none with me! Push-ups, now!”

The men instantly dropped to their stomachs and took their positions. Cobb walked away from them; they counted as they pushed themselves up.

Standing a distance away was a man in a USMC service uniform. He placed his hands behind his back and observed the men as they continued their push-ups. He smirked as he heard their determined shouts counting their push-ups.

Cobb walked towards the man. He smiled and asked, “You like what you see?”

The man smiled. “Yes, I do. This is one helluva group.”

Cobb nodded. “This is one of my finest.” He looked back and saw one of the men lagging. He stepped forward a little and bellowed, “No slacking! Pick up the pace! Jumping jacks!” The men stopped push-ups and switched to jumping jacks.

Cobb stepped back and said, “There’re some outliers, but they’re the best.”

The man nodded. “You got the roster?”

Cobb handed the man a clipboard with the names of the future Paramarines in the formation, as well as their statistics from the duration of their training.

“I’ve highlighted some of my favorites,” Cobb said. “Boyd, in particular, has shown-”

“What about this one?” the man asked.

Cobb looked at the name on the roster and chuckled, which turned into a laugh. “I didn’t take you for a jokester, sir.”

The man shook his head. “I’m not joking.”

Cobb chuckled again before looking at the man’s stern face. His fell. “Are you serious?”

The man nodded. “Uh, yeah.”

Cobb scoffed. “Delaney? Are you kidding?”

The man shook his head. “No, in fact, I’m not.”

Cobb shook his head. “Look, the kid did okay in boot camp, but here, he only _barely_ passed. He doesn’t have what it takes to be a Paramarine, let alone what _you_ are looking for.”

“He did well enough,” the man said.

“Well enough ain’t gonna cut it,” Cobb said. He pointed to a man at the end of the formed men and said, “Boyd scored highest out of nearly anyone that’s come through here. He’s strong, fast, he follows orders – he’s perfect.”

The man nodded. “While I am impressed by them, I know what kind of men I’m looking for.” He pointed to the group and said, “I want Delaney. Send him to me; I’ll be in the admin building.”

Cobb watched as the man walked away from him and entered the building. Sighing, he headed back towards the jumping men.

* * *

James Delaney felt like his arms were about to fall off. The rigorous training he had gone through at Marine boot camp had taken a toll on him, and despite a few injuries during some of the more pushing routines, he had managed to make it through and pass.

Then, he decided to be either incredibly brave or stupid when he volunteered for the Paramarines. He only heard the parts about higher pay and “adventure” and all that other bullshit when he volunteered. He wasn’t ready for the far more intense training that followed.

“Stop!”

Delaney sighed in relief as Cobb walked towards them. “Alright men, one last trip to the rifle range.” He pointed to another officer with him and said, “Sergeant Polk will take you there.”

Delaney and the others formed up to follow Polk and he was about to leave when Cobb said, “Not you, Delaney.”

Delaney stopped and allowed the rest to leave. “Sir?” he asked.

“Follow me,” Cobb said.

Delaney saluted. “Yes, sir.” He hurried over and walked alongside Cobb. He looked up and noticed they were heading to the admin building.

“Uh, sir, why am I not going with the others?” he asked.

“You’ve been specially requested,” Cobb answered.

The nerves Delaney felt had returned. Why was he going to the admin building? What did he do?

The pair entered the building and walked the halls. Uniformed cadets and other officers walked past, Delaney saluting them as he passed. Finally, the pair entered a conference room at the end of the hall.

Delaney entered and spotted a man wearing a Marine service uniform occupying the room. The rank insignia on his upper arm denoted him as a Gunnery Sergeant. He looked up and smirked.

“This him?” he asked.

Cobb nodded. “In the flesh.” He gently nudged Delaney forward and added, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I tell myself that all the time,” the man said. Cobb left the room and the man sat down. “Have a seat,” he said as he pointed to the chair across the table from him.

Delaney walked over and sat down opposite the man. He smiled and asked, “What’s your name, son?”

“James Delaney,” he answered.

The man nodded. “Tell me a little about yourself.”

Delaney shrugged. “Well, there’s nothing much. I was born in a small Indiana town. I was a quiet kid growing up, smart enough to make sure teachers didn’t hound me, and I got in enough trouble to not seem boring.”

The man chuckled. “Tell me, why’d you join the Corps?”

Delaney sighed. “I guess because of my father. He was one of the ‘Devil Dogs’ fighting in France during World War I.” He paused and said, “He and I have a…complicated relationship. I guess I joined up to have something to make him proud.”

The man nodded. “That’s fathers for ya. Can’t choose ‘em, but we’d be nowhere without ‘em.”

Delaney nodded before asking, "Excuse me, sir, but why am I here?”

The man smirked. “Cutting to the chase. I like that.” He nodded his head to the window and said, “I’ve been here the past few weeks now observing the training of the Paramarines. I’ve heard that they were some of the best, and from what I’ve seen, they sure are. I’ve seen some of the toughest, fastest, and most disciplined men yet.”

Delaney looked and saw the man pull up a sheet of paper. “And then, I saw you.” He scooted the paper down towards Delaney. He looked at it and his face fell.

It was his scores and training evaluation. He’d scored lower and taken the longest out of anyone else in his group. He had given his all, pushed his body to the limit and beyond, and yet he still came up short. He should’ve known he wouldn’t make the cut.

“Those are some of the worst scores and times I’ve ever seen,” the man said.

Delaney sighed. “Am I being sent back, sir? Is this why I’m here?”

The man chuckled. “No. On the contrary, you are just who I’m looking for.”

Delaney’s eyes widened and his brow furrowed. “What?” he asked.

The man chuckled. “I am the leader of a squad of elite soldiers handpicked across the Marines. The team is capped at five, myself included. Every training site I arrive at, the commandants and drill instructors try and force these perfect cadets onto me. What they don’t understand is that for my squad, I look for more.”

“What do you mean more?” Delaney asked.

The man pointed to the paper. “I said how these were the worst scores I had seen. Any other man would have thrown in the towel and requested to be dropped. But not you. You came in dead last in nearly everything, and what did you do? You picked yourself up and carried on.”

The man continued talking. “That’s what my squad is all about. Sure, they’re also in top-shape for military ops, but they have drive, they have guts. They are willing to push themselves beyond what is expected. If you’re willing to do that in training, I can only imagine what you can offer in the field.”

Delaney couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Just a few moments ago, he thought that he was about to be kicked out of the Paramarines, or worse, sent back home altogether. Instead, he was being told that he had what it takes to join an elite squad of soldiers.

It was too good to be true, and Delaney shook his head. “No, sir. You’ve made the wrong choice. I’ve made too many mistakes. I’d be a hindrance to your squad.”

“No,” the man said. “I don’t care how fast a guy can run three-hundred yards or if they can complete an obstacle course in less than a minute. My squad takes on missions that are more perilous than almost anything the regular forces take on. I want men that can look Death in the face and spit in his eye.”

The man paused again. “I know this is a lot to take in, but you should trust my judgment. However, it is still your choice. If you still think you can’t, then I’ll talk with your DI about having you stay with the Paramarines. If not, you’re leaving this place and coming with me.”

The man leaned forward. “The missions this squad undertakes are no joke,” he said. “Our chances of survival are incredibly slim. The missions are damn near suicidal, but they are vital in winning this war.”

He leaned forward and asked, “After hearing that, do you still wish to join?”

Delaney paused and thought, letting his mind wander. He considered the options; being a Marine was already an honor, and being part of the Paramarines was something that many men dreamed of but few ever got to experience.

However, this squad sounded like an opportunity to take the fight directly to the enemy in ways others couldn’t imagine. Looking back to the man, he nodded determinately.

“I’ll do it,” he said.

The man smirked. “Excellent. Well, let’s get you ready to be released from this place. We leave for North Africa in three days.”

Delaney looked at him in confusion. “North Africa? I thought all Marines went to the Pacific.”

The man chuckled. “Not my squad.”

“But, I thought-”

The man chuckled. “I’d best use these next few days to forget about almost everything the DI jarheads jammed into your brain." He stuck his hand out, which Delaney grabbed and shook.

“The name's Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck,” he greeted. “Welcome to Alpha-Nine.”


	2. Initiation

_North Africa Allied Operations Center_

_Tunis, Tunisia_

_June 20 th, 1943_

Delaney stepped off of the plane and held his hand in front of his face as the blazing African sun shined down on him. He coughed a little as a gust of wind kicked some sand into his face. He looked to Buck, who seemed completely unaffected by any of it.

“You’ll get used to it,” Buck said. “Follow me.”

Delaney followed Buck into the large operations center. He looked around in amazement as he saw the activity happening all over. Mechanics were crowded around a couple of M4 Sherman tanks, soldiers were resting around their barracks or in the mess tent, medics tended to some wounded, and a few more soldiers were guarding captured German and Italian prisoners.

As they walked, the other Allied soldiers would simply nod their heads in greeting, which Delaney would respond with. However, when they passed by American soldiers, their gazes turned and stared at the men in what appeared to be a mix of wonderment and disbelief.

“There’re a lot of guys staring at us,” Delaney commented.

Buck chuckled. “Marines aren’t exactly a common sight here. As you had pointed out stateside, almost all Marines are stationed in the Pacific. There are some brought over here that serve as security for officials or military envoys, but Alpha-Nine is the exception.”

Buck led Delaney further into the base. “We are the face of fear for the enemy. We go in fast, we hit hard; we leave _nothing_ standing. We’ve left our mark in various spots throughout North Africa.”

Delaney nodded. “So, what exactly all does Alpha-Nine do?”

Buck smirked. “A little bit of everything. S&D, HVT assassination, sabotage, strategic recon, support, unconventional warfare…” He trailed off and looked to Delaney. “You know, the usual shit.”

Delaney continued to follow Buck through the base, eventually walking into the command tent that was set up in the middle. The two men walked in, finding an older man talking with a few other soldiers. They finished talking and he turned around.

Buck lifted his hand and saluted, which prompted Delaney to quickly follow. The older man returned the salute and they dropped their hands.

“Colonel Hood, sir,” Buck greeted.

Hood smiled. “Good to see you back, Gunny. How was your trip back to the States?” he asked.

“Oh, just peachy,” Buck answered. “I even brought back a souvenir.” He pushed Delaney upfront and said, “Meet James Delaney. He’s the newest member of Alpha-Nine.”

Hood walked towards the young Marine and stuck his hand out. “It’s good to meet you, son.”

“Likewise, sir,” Delaney said.

“Take pride in being here, son. You couldn’t ask to be placed with a better group of men,” Hood said. “We’re glad to have you here,” he added before turning and walking away.

Buck chuckled. “First time I’ve seen the old bastard speak praise of someone.” He patted Delaney’s back and said, “Follow me. Time to meet the squad.”

Delaney followed Buck out of the command tent and through the base once more. They passed by some more soldiers until they reached the far corner of the base, where a roughly-painted sign above the corner read “ _Helljumpers’ Corner”_.

Inside the Corner, Delaney saw three men sitting around. The first and nearest to him was a gruff-looking man with a weathered face loading BAR magazines. The second was a dark-skinned man with a shaven head lying on his back and smoking a cigarette. The third, and youngest, was cleaning his M1911 pistol.

“Look alive, ladies!” Buck shouted.

The soldiers all looked over at Buck and they all nodded in acknowledgment. The younger one quipped, “Gee, there you are, Gunny. We missed ya.”

“Like my uncle misses his rashes,” the older soldier said.

“Yeah,” the dark-skinned soldier said. “We were getting used to the peace and quiet.”

Delaney’s brow furrowed in confusion; back at boot camp, talking to a superior officer like that would get you running miles and on kitchen duty for a week.

The younger soldier pointed at Delaney and asked, “Who's this, Gunny?”

Buck brought Delaney forward. “Boys, meet James Delaney, Alpha-Nine’s newest member.”

That got the attention of all three soldiers. The older and younger ones sat up straighter and smiled; the dark-skinned soldier remained lying on his back.

“No shit, Gunny?” the younger one asked. “It’s about fucking time we’re back up to full strength.”

Buck nodded and said, “Here, let me introduce you to everyone.” He pointed to the older one and said, “Corporal Taylor Miles, heavy weapons specialist. We call him ‘Dutch’.”

Dutch stood up and shook Delaney’s hand. “Good to meet you. I’m certain you’ll make a valuable addition.”

Buck pointed to the younger soldier. “Private First Class Michael Crespo, explosive ordnance. He goes by ‘Mickey’.”

Mickey stood up and said, “And before you ask, yes, I’ve had some assholes add ‘Mouse’ at the end.”

The squad all laughed as Buck pointed to the last one. “And that slouching bastard is Lance Corporal Kojo Agu, our sharpshooter. We all call him ‘Romeo’.”

Romeo glanced over at Delaney and scoffed. “I didn’t know they let kids in the Marines,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Lighten the fuck up, Romeo,” Buck said.

Mickey chuckled. “So Gunny, has the new guy completed his initiation yet?”

Buck smirked. “Nope. I was waiting until we got back.”

Delaney looked around. “What initiation?”

The rest of the squad laughed. Buck looked to him and said, “Well, your skillset and my observations of you during your training were enough to warrant you a spot on the squad, but now is the time to prove yourself. I need to know truly if you have what it takes to be a member of Alpha-Nine.”

Delaney nodded. “So, what is it, like a test or something?”

All of the soldiers smiled and looked at each other. “Something like that,” Dutch commented.

Buck waved his hand and said, “Come on over here and see.” Delaney and the others followed Buck towards a tent set up in the corner. The soldiers surrounded a small table, where Delaney could see several photos of a German ship.

“Alright, the Krauts have been pretty much driven out of the entirety of North Africa, but there are still a few troublesome assholes all over," Buck explained. He pointed to the pictures. "This is a German destroyer that's been picking off our planes and keeping supply ships from getting through. Attempts have been made to sink it, but they all failed. That's why command is sending us."

The soldiers nodded and Delaney listened intently. "The mission is simple: sneak aboard the destroyer and sink it, killing any enemy personnel along the way. We'll need to be stealthy so knives and sidearms only as a last resort."

"How're we getting there?" Dutch asked.

"Army's got some LCRL boats we can borrow," Buck explained.

Romeo chuckled. "Driving out into the middle of the Mediterranean on a rubber boat. What could go wrong?"

"Keep it up with that mouth, and you'll swim there," Buck said.

The rest of the squad laughed and Buck settled them down. "Alright, so get yourselves prepped for later. We'll move on the ship at 2200 hours."

Delaney nodded and the squad split off for their areas of the corner. Delaney found himself a nice stack of crates that he laid back on. He rested his head against his hands and shut his eyes to get some sleep.

* * *

About ten hours later, the squad was at the beach. Bobbing along in the water was a small rubber boat big enough to hold seven men. It was complete with a gas motor and a couple of oars.

Delaney pulled the magazine of his M1911 pistol out and examined it. Ensuring there were seven cartridges in it, he placed it back inside and pulled the slide back.

"You know how to use that thing?"

Delaney looked up and saw Romeo giving him an unsure glance. Nodding, he answered, "Of course I do. I was one of the better pistol marksmen in my training group."

Romeo smirked. "Yeah, well, shooting at dummy targets is one thing. Shooting at something that shoots back, is another."

Delaney was about to retort when Buck stepped in and said, "Hey, if you ladies are finished gossiping, then let's get a move on."

The two soldiers gave Buck small salutes and they walked to the boat. They climbed into the rocking boat, the waves making it uneven.

"We're gonna die in this thing," Mickey commented.

"Maybe," Buck said. "Dutch, Romeo, use the oars."

Dutch and Romeo grabbed the oars and began paddling the small boat away from the beach. Once they reached a sufficient distance, Buck said, "Okay Mickey, you're on the engine."

Mickey nodded and turned the engine on. it revved to life and the boat was now speeding through the waves. The soldiers were silent as they rode across the water, Buck at the bow looking through a pair of binoculars. They rode for another ten minutes before Buck turned around.

"Target in sight," he said. "Mickey, kill the engine."

Mickey turned the engine off and they immediately slowed down. Dutch and Romeo readied the oars and began paddling. The squad looked up and saw the destroyer closing in. Luckily for them, there weren't any searchlights, and it was plenty dark enough for them to row in undetected.

 _"Okay, once we're aboard, we head for the engine room,"_ Buck whispered. _"Mickey, you and Delaney will set the charges while the rest of us cover you."_

Buck looked back at the ship before turning to his squad. _"Remember, keep it quiet. No need to telegraph our presence."_

The squad nodded and readied themselves as they got closer to the ship. Finally, they were right alongside it and Buck stood up. He stuck the end of a rope in his pocket and climbed along the side of the ship. He reached the deck and tied the rope around the railing. He waved his hand for the squad to follow.

One by one, the soldiers climbed along the side of the ship and to the deck. Delaney was last and almost fell back into the water when he lost his footing. Luckily, Dutch was there to catch him.

"Jesus, he'll give us away," Romeo said a little too loudly.

 _"Shut it!"_ Buck hissed.

The squad moved along the deck, keeping their eyes peeled and their ears open for any patrols. They reached a doorway and a German soldier walked out and right into them. Before he could shout, Buck clamped his hand over his mouth and stabbed him in the neck. He dragged the dead man over to the railing and tossed him overboard.

 _"This way,"_ he said.

The rest of the squad followed him through the door and down the stairs. Buck stopped and asked, _"Mickey, you know where we're going?"_

 _"I don't know,"_ Mickey replied.

 _"Romeo, read the signs,"_ Buck said. _"Where are we?"_

Romeo looked at him incredulously. _"I don't speak Kraut, Gunny."_

As the men silently bickered, Delaney looked around and stared and the various pipes, valves, and other machinery running through the halls. Suddenly, he heard a creak that no one else heard and he looked up to see a German soldier step out. His eyes widened as he aimed his rifle.

Delaney quickly drew and fired his pistol twice, hitting the soldier in the chest. the rest looked back and saw what he did.

"Wake up the whole damn boat, why don't ya," Romeo said.

"Hey, we don't know," Dutch said. "They might not have heard-"

A blaring alarm sounded off and interrupted Dutch. Buck sighed as he withdrew his own pistol.

"Go loud, troopers! Let's get to the engine room!"

The rest of the squad drew their weapons and ran behind Buck. He glanced up at the signs, trying to deduce which one was what. Finally, he spotted one sign that read **"** **Maschinenraum"**.

"I hope to God this is it!" Buck yelled over the alarm; he could hear the shouts of Germans as well.

The squad kicked through the door and found the engine room. Engineers and other soldiers rushed them and they took cover behind the large machinery.

"Dutch, Romeo, cover the back door!" Buck yelled. "I'll take 'em from here! Dutch, Delaney, get those charges planted!"

"Come on!" Mickey yelled to Delaney over the gunfire. They made it to one of the turbines and Mickey removed the charges from his pack.

"Alright, bud!" Mickey said. "I'll set the charges, I just need you to run the wire links between them!"

Delaney flinched as a bullet pinged near him. "Got it!"

"And be fuckin' careful!" he said.

Delaney nodded as he watched Mickey with a calm demeanor and steady hands set one of the charges. He pointed to it and Delaney took hold of the two wires on top. He watched Mickey set the next one, not paying attention to how close the wires were.

Mickey looked over and his eyes widened. "Hey! Watch it!" he yelled.

Delaney jumped and looked at the wires in his hands. He pulled them away from each other.

"You were about a nut hair away from blowing us all sky high!" Mickey yelled. He finished setting the charge and said, "This one's ready!"

Delaney scooted over and hooked up the wire links. Mickey gave him a thumbs-up as they moved and set more of them.

"Mickey!" Buck yelled as he reloaded. "Anytime now!"

"Almost there, Gunny!" Mickey replied. He set down and set up the final charge, and Delaney hooked up the wire links. Mickey clapped his hands.

"Good work!" he yelled. "Get back to the others and cover me! I gotta set the timer!"

Delaney nodded and ran back to the rest. He withdrew his pistol and helped Buck with covering.

"How'd it go?!" Buck asked.

"Mickey's setting the timer now!" Delaney replied.

Buck nodded. "Good! Now all we need to do is-"

"Book it!"

Buck looked up and saw Mickey running back. "Timer's fried! We've got only a couple minutes _max_ before they detonate!"

"Fuck!" Buck yelled. "Okay, up and at 'em, boys! We're leaving!"

the squad ducked out of the engine room and ran back through the halls, firing at any German soldiers that appear out of doorways or other hidden areas. They finally made it out of the lower decks and back outside. Searchlights were shining all over; the ship was on high-alert.

"Go! Go!" Buck yelled.

Delaney ran as fast as his legs could carry him. they reached the spot where the boat was hooked to, thankful that it was still there.

"I'll cover you!" Buck yelled. "Get on!"

Dutch stood by and helped Mickey, Romeo, and Delaney down the rope and onto the boat. He hopped over and slid down as well. Buck fired off one last round before jumping over and sliding down. He sliced the rope and yelled, "Mickey, get us outta here!"

Mickey immediately cranked the engine and turned the boat around. They sped along the side of the ship and towards the stern before heading to open water. Buck looked out to the destroyer.

"Where're the fireworks?" he asked.

"I set the charges correctly," Mickey said.

"What about the links?" Dutch asked.

The squad looked to Delaney and he quickly said, "I swear I did it." He trailed off and added, "I believe."

Romeo groaned. "Fucking Christ. This is what happens when a fucking amateur is given-"

Romeo's complaint was interrupted by a massive explosion. They turned and looked to see the destroyer engulfed in a massive fireball. More explosions rocked the ship's hull and brightened the night with an orange and yellow glow. They heard the bulkheads collapsing and the ship slowly began to sink.

Romeo and the others looked back at Delaney, who had a massive grin on his face. "See, I told ya I did it."

"Maybe have a little more confidence in your response," Dutch said.

Delaney and the others laughed as they sped back towards the beach.

…

The five soldiers made it back, and they were met with rambunctious applause by the men stationed. The boat stopped and the five soldiers disembarked and walked up the beach. They climbed into a transport truck to take them back to the base. Once they arrived, they headed for their corner.

Buck turned around and said, “Good work, squad. Way to take it to 'em."

"Oorah boys!" Mickey yelled.

Buck smiled and looked to Delaney. "Son, words cannot say how impressed I am. You managed to hold your own and complete your objectives with the squad. You've earned your place here."

Mickey walked ahead. “And with that, you’ve also got your new nickname with the squad.”

Delaney smiled. “Hit me with it.”

Dutch smirked. “Rookie.”

Delaney cocked an eyebrow. “Why that one?”

Buck and the others laughed. “To be honest, we couldn’t come up with anything, and you’re the newest member so that one stuck.”

Delaney rolled his eyes. “Great,” he thought.

Buck smirked. “You’ll wear it with pride, along with this.” He reached into his pocket and presented a patch to Delaney. The Rookie took and examined it: it was a red diamond with a black flaming skull and two crossed rifles. "A9" was in bold yellow lettering and the small banner below it read "FEET FIRST INTO HELL". Delaney looked back to Buck and he smiled.

“Welcome to the Squad, Rookie.”

* * *


	3. Operation Husky

_North Africa Allied Operations Center_

_Tunis, Tunisia_

_July 8 th, 1943_

A little over two weeks had passed since Delaney’s initiation to Alpha-Nine. After that bout of action, things had gotten quiet, and so the squad spent most of their time in their corner of the base; they didn’t venture out of it much.

Delaney found himself fitting in well with the rest of the squad. Dutch and Mickey quickly became two of his best friends, and Gunny was always there to talk with. However, anytime Delaney tried striking up a conversation with Romeo, he’d shrug him off and let him know he wasn’t interested. Delaney had no idea what he’d done, but he wasn’t about to complain to Gunny about it like a child.

Alpha-Nine was sitting around their corner once more. Dutch and Mickey were playing cards, Romeo was adjusting his sniper rifle’s scope, and Delaney was asleep atop some crates. Buck wasn’t anywhere in sight.

Mickey smirked as he slammed down his cards. “Ha! Read ‘em and weep, Dutch!”

Dutch groaned. “Jesus Christ. How in the hell do you do it?”

Without looking up, Romeo said, “He’s hiding cards in his sleeves.”

“What?” Mickey asked in shock. “No, I’m not.”

Dutch looked at Mickey’s cuffs and said, “Wait a minute.” He grabbed Mickey’s hand and pulled, causing three cards to fall out.

“Why you sneaky little shit!” Dutch exclaimed. He stood up and wrapped his arm around Mickey’s head and started giving him a noogie. Mickey desperately tried to pull away, but he was no match for Dutch’s strength.

Buck suddenly appeared and the rambunctious behavior stopped. “Am I interrupting?”

Dutch let go of Mickey and said, “No, Gunny. Nothing important.”

Buck rolled his eyes as he flipped up a piece of paper. He cleared his throat and read haughtily, “To our mighty soldiers, tonight begins the start of a beautiful journey. Tonight, our men in the skies will rain upon our enemies, and tomorrow, the rest will follow to sweep away the evil that has perpetuated for so many years.”

Romeo looked up at Buck, a blank expression on his face. “English Gunny?”

Buck sighed. “Allies are invading Sicily.”

The rest of the squad’s eyes widened and they cheered. “Fuckin’ finally,” Mickey said. “I was starting to get bored around here.”

Buck nodded. “Gather ‘round. I’ll go over the plan.”

Romeo got up and was about to join the rest when he saw Delaney still fast asleep. He walked over and gave him a smack upside his head. He groaned and fell to the ground.

Smirking, Romeo said, “Wake up, Buttercup.” He walked away as Dutch approached Delaney and helped him up.

“Relax, Rookie, he don’t mean nothin’,” he said.

Delaney scoffed. “I call BS.” He walked with the others and joined Buck at the table.

Buck pulled up a map and pointed to it. “U.S. 82nd Airborne will be dropping behind enemy lines at Gela and Scoglitti while the British 1st Parachute Brigade and 1st Airlanding Brigade will be dropping into both Syracuse and Catania.” He moved his finger and said, “ _We_ will be dropping about thirty miles inland around here at Enna.”

Buck looked to the squad and said, “Our primary mission is to drop deep behind the enemy’s lines and cause confusion and turmoil to draw their attention away from the seaborne landings. Interrupting convoys, clearing villages, anything to make the Krauts and Italians’ lives a living hell. Once the beach landings are complete, we’ll move south and link up with the 82nd.”

The squad nodded as Buck folded up the map. “This is a truly momentous occasion, boys. One, we are taking the first directly to the Axis, something most soldiers didn’t think possible three years ago.”

Smirking, Buck looked at Delaney. “And second, this’ll be Rookie’s first combat drop.”

The rest of the squad all smiled and laughed. Delaney suddenly felt hands patting his back along with the hoots and hollers of Dutch and Mickey.

“Hope you aren’t afraid of heights,” Mickey said.

Delaney chuckled. “I trained as a Paramarine. Your jumps can’t be any different.”

Romeo smirked. “Oh, you’ll see.”

Buck grabbed the men’s attention. “Okay, get yourselves prepped. Our plane takes off at midnight.”

With that, the squad walked around the corner and began readying their weapons and other equipment for later tonight.

* * *

Hours later the airfield was abuzz with activity. The American and British paratroopers were boarding their C-47 transport planes. Engines revved and men yelled all around as they prepped for the invasion of Sicily.

At the far end of the airfield, another C-47 plane sat. Instead of carrying a massive load of soldiers, five individuals were prepping themselves for the approaching airborne landings.

Alpha-Nine was now fully dressed in their combat gear. Dutch, Mickey, Romeo, and Delaney were standing around in the plane while Buck stood next to the exit, looking at a picture in his hand. The pilot was doing his last-minute checks to ensure everything was nominal.

Dutch got up from his seat to check on the wrapped case containing all of the squad’s weapons. He walked away to head to Buck and was about to speak when he noticed the photo in his hand: it was of a smiling, blonde-haired woman.

“Who’s that?” Dutch asked.

Buck jumped and immediately lowered his hand to hide the picture. “Uh, no one.”

Dutch smirked. “Aw, come on, Gunny. There doesn’t have to be any secrets between us.”

“It’s nothing that needs to concern you,” Buck said.

Dutch raised his hands. “Alright, alright,” he said. He turned to walk away and chuckled. “I wish I was coming home to her.”

Buck looked away. _“Yeah. Right,”_ he said quietly.

Suddenly, the pilot leaned back and said, “Gunny, airborne forces have been cleared. We’re taking off in two.”

“Understood,” Buck said. He turned to the men and said, “You hear that ladies?! Get to your seats!”

The squad ran and sat down. Buck shut the door and remained standing. A few minutes later, the plane’s engines roared to life and they slowly began to taxi down the runway. The men could hear the engines of the other planes all around them.

Within a few minutes, the planes took off. The planes shook as strong winds rocked them, causing the men to stumble a little in their seats.

“What the hell?!” Dutch said loudly.

“Did someone not read the weather report this morning?!” Romeo asked.

“Command said that it was going to be fairly windy!” the pilot loudly replied. “Both air and sea landings are gonna be a little rough, but they didn’t want to postpone!”

“Shocker!” Mickey yelled with a roll of his eyes.

The plane continued for several minutes. The squad looked up and saw they were flying away from the other airborne forces’ planes.

“We’ll be over your drop point in five!” the pilot yelled.

Buck nodded and turned to the squad. “Alright ladies, you know the objectives: disrupt and sabotage the enemy response to the Allied invasion, clear out any signs of enemy resistance, and kick ass as always.” He looked at the man and asked, “How’re we leaving this plane, boys?!”

The squad, except for Delaney, replied, “Feet first into Hell!”

“Damn right!” Buck said.

“Approaching drop zone!” the pilot yelled.

Buck walked over and opened the door. The cold wind rushed in and hit the men.

“Troopers! We are green and very, very mean!” Buck yelled. “Get ready!”

The men stood up and prepped themselves. Delaney reached back to grab his static line, but he didn’t feel it. He then looked up and noticed that the usual line he hooked up to wasn’t there.

“Uh, Gunny?!” Delaney asked.

Buck leaned back and answered, “Yeah?”

“Where're our static lines?!” Delaney asked.

The squad immediately roared with laughter. “‘Static lines’!” Romeo exclaimed. “Where the hell did you find this kid, Gunny?!”

Buck shook his head and said, “Rookie, we don’t hook up static lines! We jump from the plane, freefall for a while, and pull our chutes manually!”

“What?!” Delaney exclaimed.

Buck nodded. “Yeah! Think about it; the static line deploys your chute instantly, and now you’re slowly drifting down to Earth, a perfect target for enemy fire! Much harder to hit a small, fast-falling man!”

“There have been some close calls though!” Mickey added.

“This is what Alpha-Nine is all about, Rookie!” Buck said. “Now ready up! We jump in twenty!”

Delaney followed the others to the door, Dutch hanging out first. Buck extended his arm out to the other end of the door. A few seconds passed and he pulled his arm out.

“GO! GO! GO!”

Dutch jumped, followed by Mickey, then by Romeo. Delaney made it to the door and hesitated for a moment.

“Off you go, Rookie!” Buck yelled as he pushed Delaney; the man yelled in surprise but the rushing air quickly faded it out.

“Good luck, Gunny!” the pilot yelled.

Buck smiled and turned. “We make our own luck!” he yelled as he fell backward into the icy blast. The cold wind rushed past him as he fell. He could see the darkened silhouettes of his squad. He looked down and could tell he was closing in on the ground… _quickly_.

Waiting for the right moment, Buck yanked the cord and deployed his chute. His speed reduced immediately and he slowly descended to the ground. He looked around and could see him catching up with the rest of the squad.

Buck landed on the ground and rolled, getting to his feet instantly. He removed his harness and looked up to see the rest coming down. Romeo landed first, followed by Dutch, then Mickey. He smiled when he saw Delaney coming down, although his landing was less than graceful.

Chuckling, Buck reached Delaney and helped him out of his chute and harness. “Congrats, Rookie. You completed your first combat drop. You’re officially a Helljumper.”

Delaney looked and said, “Gunny, the next time I hesitate, just yell ‘Go’.”

Buck and the others laughed. “Will do.” He turned around and asked, ‘”Everybody still got their balls? Huh? Alright, our gear should be landing in a moment.”

The squad waited for a few minutes before they heard a rustling noise above. They looked and saw a large bundle slowly descending to the ground. It landed next to them and Buck approached it.

“Alright, here we are,” he said as he untied the bundle, revealing several weapons inside. Buck picked through them and said, “M1918A2 BAR.”

Dutch smirked. “Right here.”

Buck handed Dutch his machine gun before grabbing another and saying, “M1903A3 Springfield.”

Romeo grabbed his sniper and removed the large scope from the equipment on his back.

“Standard issue M1 Garand,” Buck said.

Delaney took his rifle and opened the action to slide one of his en-bloc clips inside.

Buck groaned and heaved up a large launcher. “M1 Bazooka,” he gasped.

Mickey chuckled and said, “That’s my baby!”

Buck leaned down and grabbed the last gun. “And an M1A1 Thompson for me.”

The squad locked and loaded their weapons, and once finished Buck said, “Alright boys, it’s too dark to advance further. We’ll camp out here and move at first light.”

“I’ll take watch, Gunny,” Dutch said.

“Very well,” Buck said with a nod. “The rest of you rest up. We go to work tomorrow.”

…

The squad rested for about five hours, each taking an hour's watch so the other could get some sleep. Eventually, the sun slowly began to creep over the horizon and Buck roused the men.

“Okay boys, up and at ‘em,” he said. “We’ll advanced south. Keep your eyes peeled for any enemy activity.”

With that, the squad rose and followed Gunny across the open landscape of Sicily. They would pass by farms and small cottages that dotted all over to search for any hiding enemies, but they’d all be empty.

As they walked, Buck checked his watch and said, “Seaborne landings should just now be getting underway. Let’s keep moving.”

At the back of the squad, Delaney was walking and staring at the beautiful surroundings. The open fields kind of reminded him of home. The large farms especially made him think of his boyhood when he’d help out on his uncle’s farm.

Delaney was distracted by the scenery and didn’t notice he was quickly catching up to Romeo. He accidentally bumped into him and was barely able to start his apology when Romeo sharply said, “Watch where you’re going, Rookie.”

“I’m sorry,” Delaney replied defensively. He stood still as Romeo gave him another sneer and turned around to keep walking.

Delaney heard a small chuckle behind him and he turned to see Dutch approaching. “A real charmer, ain’t he?” he asked as he shook his head.

The squad continued for another hour. As they walked, Buck suddenly stopped them.

“What is it, Gunny?” Mickey asked.

Buck pointed ahead and the others looked on to see what he spotted; rolling over the hills was a small line of vehicles.

“Dutch, get eyes on it,” Buck ordered.

Dutch removed his binoculars and looked to the vehicles. “German convoy. I’m seeing two infantry trucks, and one half-track. They’re coming right at us.”

Buck nodded and said, “They’re probably moving to reinforce the defense. We ain’t gonna let that happen.”

“Whaddya think, Gunny?” Delaney asked.

Buck observed their surroundings, taking in what was all in sight before turning to the squad. “We’ll ambush them. Mickey, Dutch, Romeo, and I will hide behind those bushes and wait for the time to strike.”

“What about me?” Delaney asked.

Buck smirked.

…

Delaney groaned as the squad finished stringing him up on a tree branch overhanging the road the convoy would be coming down.

“Now remember Rookie, don’t move a muscle,” Buck said.

“Or that half-track gunner will rake the shit outta you,” Romeo added.

“Thanks for the image, guys,” Delaney said.

“Alright, let’s move,” Buck ordered. He and Romeo ran away from Delaney and headed to the bushes, where Dutch had his BAR and Mickey had his bazooka ready.

“Hit the half-track first,” Buck said.

Mickey nodded as he stared down the road through the sights of his bazooka. Delaney went limp as the sound of engines roaring grew closer. The vehicles appeared over the next hill and slowly made their way towards where Delaney was hanging.

“Looks like they’re stopping,” Dutch commented.

Sure enough, the half-track at the front stopped. A couple of the soldiers stepped out from one of the trucks and approached Delaney. They poked him a little before laughing, speaking something in German to each other.

“On your shot, Mickey,” Buck said.

Mickey smirked as he adjusted his aim for the half-track. “Watch the backblast,” he said before pulling the trigger.

The rocket sailed from the launcher and hit the side of the half-track. The armored vehicle exploded and the burning bodies of the German soldiers tumbled from it.

“Weapons free!” Buck yelled.

The squad stood tall and unloaded on the enemy soldiers. Delaney reached down and withdrew his sidearm and shot the two Germans in front of him. the enemy soldiers attempted to collect themselves and mount a defense but Alpha-Nine quickly cut them down.

Almost as soon as it started, it was over. Buck pulled his empty Thompson magazine out and placed a fresh one in the gun. He chuckled and said, “Good work, boys.”

They made their way down to the burning debris and dead bodies. Delaney cut himself down from the tree and approached them. “Nice job as the tree ornament, Rookie,” Buck commented.

Delaney rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

“Gunny, check this out,” Romeo said.

Buck turned around and found Romeo withdrawing something from the pocket of one of the dead Germans. He handed it to Buck who looked at it.

Shaking his head, Buck said, “I can’t read a word of it. All I could make out was ‘Enna’.”

“Krauts are probably mobilizing some of their forces there as a defensive holdout,” Dutch said.

Buck nodded. “Most likely.” He looked to the squad and said, “And if that’s the case, let’s get moving, boys.”

Readying their weapons once more, the squad hurried away from the attack site and moved south. The day had only just begun.


	4. The First Day

“Get the fuck down!”

Buck and the others ducked as another explosion rocked them. They had been hustling across the area for nearly three hours when they came across a small village. It seemed abandoned and they were going to cut through it, only to quickly find that it _wasn’t_ deserted. The squad was now pinned down at the small forest near the village entrance

“I think the Eyeties know we’re here!” Delaney yelled over MG fire.

“No shit, Rookie!” Romeo shouted.

Mickey ducked as another burst of MG fire flew past. “Gunny, we’re too exposed out here!”

Buck nodded. “We’ll make a run for it then! Ready smoke grenades!”

The squad reached for their smoke grenades and pulled the pins, ready for Buck to give the word.

“NOW!” he yelled.

The men tossed their smoke grenades at the village entrance. They landed and sputtered briefly before thick clouds of smoke enveloped the area.

“Alright, there’s our window!” Buck yelled. “Get moving!”

The men readied their weapons and rushed to the entrance. The enemies stopped firing but they would have long.

Buck led the others through the smoke and they yelled as they overran the entrance defenses. The smoke began to clear and they opened fire on the now exposed enemies. They dropped like flies and the remaining Italian soldiers fell back further into the village.

“Split up,” Buck ordered. “Sweep through and find where the bastards are hiding. We’ll regroup at the village center”

The soldiers nodded and left as ordered. Buck continued down the main street, keeping his Thompson aimed and at the ready. He rounded the next corner and took cover when he was met by several Italian soldiers. He fired several quick, controlled bursts of his Thompson, putting them down. He removed a grenade and pulled the pin, chucking it through a store window. He heard several shouts before it exploded.

“BLAM said the lady!” he shouted as he reloaded his Thompson and hurried down the street.

…

On the other street, Dutch was slowly marching down the cobblestone road, his BAR slung around his shoulder and ready to fire. Anytime an enemy ran out to confront him, he’d pump them full of .30 cal.

“Yeah, come on!” Dutch shouted. “Show me what ya got, bastards!” He fired another burst into more soldiers before continuing his advance.

…

Several Italian soldiers were setting up sandbags for MG nests. Two soldiers carrying MG-42s hurried over and began setting them up.

_“Fretta! Prendi il dannato-”_

The soldier’s shouts were interrupted by a loud crack and he fell over dead. The other soldiers jumped and attempted to hide behind the sandbags as two more shots made short work of two others.

Romeo briskly rotated the bolt of his Springfield. He rushed the incomplete MG nests and withdrew his pistol. He quickly shot three of them before his gun was knocked from his hand. He swung his rifle around, smacking another soldier with the butt of it. He quickly retrieved his pistol and killed the remaining enemies. One last soldier attempted to run away.

“Oh no you don’t,” Romeo said with a chuckle as he lined up his scope’s reticle with the enemy’s head.

_CRACK_

At the other side of the village, Mickey quickly hurried through the streets. He removed his M1A1 Carbine from his pouch and unfolded the stock. He looked ahead and duck as he saw about half a dozen enemy soldiers rushing out of a small building and taking positions opposite of him.

Bullets ripped through the edge of Mickey’s cover and he eased away. He found a door and opened it, finding himself inside a house. Still hearing the gunfire, he hurried to the other end of the room where he found a window with a clear line of sight of the enemies.

“Dumb bastards,” he commented as he pulled back the charging handle. He smashed the window and opened fire, popping shots at the enemies. Not expecting to be flanked, the soldiers were quickly dispatched. Chuckling to himself, Mickey hurried out of the house and continued towards the village center.

…

Delaney yelled as he slammed the butt of his Garand into another Italian soldier. He put a round through his forehead and kept running. Three more enemy soldiers appeared but before they could raise their weapons Delaney fired thrice, his rifle’s clip _pinging_ as it ejected.

Delaney reached down and loaded another clip. Just as he closed the action, another Italian soldier sprung from the door of a building. He knocked Delaney’s rifle from his hands and punched him twice before unsheathing a knife from his belt.

Before the Italian could strike, Delaney quickly kicked him in his knee. He grabbed his Garand and shot him in the chest. He looked back up and fired another couple of rounds at more advancing enemies. Once they were dealt with, Delaney hurried ahead.

Delaney entered the village square, where he found a large enemy encampment set up. His head turned as he heard the roar of machine-gun fire and he saw Dutch exit from the street next to him, a loud crack followed and Romeo appeared, followed by Mickey hurrying out from his street. Buck entered, slamming a fresh mag into his Thompson.

“Mop ‘em up!” Buck yelled.

The squad focused fire on the enemies concentrated in the encampment. The soldiers rushed to their defensive positions but they were quickly gunned down.

Romeo unclipped a grenade and threw it at the encampment. It landed inside one of the MG nests and exploded, killing the enemies inside instantly. Dutch yelled as he ran and jumped onto one of the sandbag walls and fired his BAR, sweeping the area with gunfire. Mickey popped a couple of exposed enemies with his carbine. Delaney smacked another Italian across the head with his Garand and put a round in him.

The last standing enemy–an Italian officer–withdrew his pistol and aimed at the American soldiers surrounding him. _“Indietro!”_ he yelled. The Americans stopped and smirked at the officer.

The officer looked at the men in confusion but yelled when he was shot from behind in his leg. He collapsed to his knee and Buck appeared. He placed his Thompson against the officer’s neck and pulled with all his strength; there was a snapping sound and the officer fell over dead.

The Marines yelled and hollered with cheer. “Fuck yeah, boys! That’s how it’s done!” Mickey yelled.

Buck smiled. “Excellent work, Marines. Search the encampment. See what you can find.”

The men nodded and walked all over the camp. Mickey and Dutch examined one of the MG emplacements while Romeo picked one of the medals from the dead officer.

 _“Al Valore Militare,”_ he said. He looked down and chuckled. “Some good valor did ya, huh?”

Buck walked into the command tent. He looked down at the table and found a map of Sicily highlighted with several enemy defensive holdouts throughout the island. He chuckled as he grabbed and folded it before stowing it in his pocket.

Before he could walk out, the radio nearby came alive and he could hear someone yelling in Italian through it. He couldn’t understand a word, but it sounded urgent based on how the soldier was yelling.

Buck exited the tent and said, “Listen up, ladies. Some SOB on the radio is yelling something fierce. I caught ‘ _rafforzare’_ which I’m fairly certain means reinforce.”

“Well, where do we go, Gunny?” Delaney asked.

“We just keep advancing until we hear gunfire,” Buck replied.

“How’re we gonna do that?” Romeo asked.

Buck looked around and noticed a large truck at the edge of the encampment. “We’ll take that. Mickey, you’re driving.”

“You got it, Gunny,” Mickey said.

“The rest of ya, load up,” Buck ordered.

The men hurried to the truck. Mickey entered the driver’s seat while Buck sat in the passenger. Dutch, Romeo, and Delaney climbed into the back.

“Alright, here we go!” Mickey yelled as he started the truck. The engine roared to life and Mickey slowly drove it away from the encampment and out to one of the roads leading to the countryside.

“Keep your head on a swivel!” Buck yelled.

The men in the back surveyed their surroundings, keeping an eye out for any enemy activity. Suddenly, the distant but audible sound of gunfire was heard.

“You hear that?!” Mickey yelled.

Delaney looked to his left and saw another town. He could see small smoke clouds rising from it.

“There! Mickey, at your ten o’clock!” he yelled.

Mickey looked and found the village. “That what we’re looking for, Gunny?”

“Probably,” Buck answered. “Get ready, Marines!”

The three in the back checked their weapons, readying themselves for another fight. As they closed in, they found US paratroopers at the outskirts of the village pinned down by enemy fire. Some of them turned around just as the brakes screeched and the truck came to a halt.

Alpha-Nine hopped from the truck and joined the fight, laying down more fire to support the friendly forces.

“Who the hell are you guys?!” one of the paratroopers asked.

“Who’s in charge here?!” Buck asked.

Another paratrooper ducked as he approached and answered, “That’ll be me. Lieutenant Dan Tucker, 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne!"

Buck fired another burst of his Thompson. “Gunnery Sergeant Buck, Alpha-Nine. A pleasure to meet ya, LT! What’s the situation?!”

Tucker fired a burst of his Thompson. “Enemy forces have dug themselves in deep! We’ve been trying to break through the perimeter with no luck! We radioed for armor support but they’re taking forever!”

Buck nodded and said, “Maybe we can be the breakthrough you need! Hold your position here!”

Tucker looked at Buck and said, “Are you crazy?!”

Buck pointed to his USMC patch. “Hell yeah, I am!” He turned to his squad and yelled, “In the truck, now!”

The squad loaded up in the truck, Buck joining them in the back. “Mickey, drive straight in! Keep your head down and your foot on that pedal.”

“You got it!” Mickey replied.

“Okay boys, get ready!” Buck yelled.

The men readied their weapons as Mickey started up the truck. The men held on tight as the truck lurched and sped forward, passing by the paratroopers and heading straight towards the enemy.

“Gun ‘em down!” Buck yelled.

The marines stood up and opened fire on the enemy soldiers. They tried and failed to get a shot on them, but the soldiers were too quick. Mickey glanced up and saw the truck was speeding right at an MG nest.

“Hang on tight, boys!” he yelled as he ducked.

“Huh?!” Dutch asked.

The men were suddenly thrown around the back as the truck hit the nest, breaking through the sandbags and crushing the gun crew. The remaining enemies turned and ran deeper into the village.

Buck and the others groaned as they hopped out of the back. The door opened and Mickey tumbled out and onto the ground. Buck helped him to his feet and smiled.

“Damn fine driving, Mickey,” he commented.

“Thanks,” Mickey replied.

The paratroopers approached them, Tucker shaking his head with a look of sheer confusion. “What in the hell did I just watch?”

Dutch chuckled. “A fine example of how Alpha-Nine works, LT.”

Tucker rolled his eyes. “Yeah right.” He turned to the soldiers and said, “Squad One and Two, follow me. Three and Four, stay here at the entrance. Wait for that armor support.”

Buck looked to Romeo and said, “Romeo, eyes peeled for enemy snipers.”

“Copy that,” Romeo said as he rotated the bolt of his Springfield.

The marines heard a chuckle behind them. They looked and saw one of the paratroopers holding his hand over his mouth.

“Something funny, son?” Buck asked.

The paratrooper collected himself and nodded to the bell tower. “You trust _him_ ?”

Buck cocked a brow and he asked, “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Tucker eased himself between the men and said, “Ignore him, Gunny. Let’s just move.”

Buck nodded as he checked his Thompson’s magazine. The soldiers slowly walked down the street, weapons at the ready.

Within earshot of Romeo, the paratrooper chuckled. “Can’t believe they let ‘em fight. World’s turned upside down.”

A trooper next to him shook his head. “I don’t know, bud, it seems-”

_CRACK_

The talking soldier fell over dead. The soldiers yelled as they ran for cover in nearby alleyways or buildings.

“Fuck, they got Jacobs!” Tucker yelled.

“Where the fuck is he?!” one of the paratroopers yelled when he quickly glanced outside.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Romeo?” he asked. “You got eyes on?!”

“Yeah,” Romeo replied. He quickly stepped out from his cover and put his sights on the sniper. The soldiers heard the unmistakable _crack_ of a Springfield; they looked up and saw the enemy sniper fall out of a nearby church tower. Romeo rotated the bolt and added, “Sniper down.”

“Thank you,” Buck said. He turned to the smart-mouthed paratrooper and said, “ _That’s_ why I have him around.”

The paratrooper nodded and the group continued through the street. Suddenly, gunfire erupted in front and enemies rushed out from buildings and alleyways. The Americans took cover and returned fire.

“Dammit!” Tucker yelled. “Where the fuck do they keep coming from?!”

Buck fired a burst of his Thompson and looked up to see a window open. He ducked when he saw the bright muzzle flash as an MG began firing on their positions.

“Shit! MG, second-story window, end of the street!” he yelled.

Two paratroopers shouted as bullets pierced their legs and they were quickly pulled into nearby alleyways. More enemy soldiers rushed in and fired on them.

“We gotta kill that MG!” Delaney yelled.

“Dutch!” Buck shouted.

Making his way over to Buck, Dutch replied, “Yeah?!”

“Get some suppressive fire on that MG!” Buck ordered. “We’ll take care of the enemies in the street!”

“You got it, Gunny!” Dutch replied. He cocked his BAR and waited.

“Alright everyone, covering fire!” Buck shouted.

The soldiers leaned out cautiously and fired on the enemy soldiers. Some were gunned down while others ducked back behind cover.

“Now Dutch, hit that MG!” Buck yelled.

Dutch leaned out and fired bursts at the window. The MG kept firing but eventually, Dutch landed a perfect shot on the gunner.

Tucker turned around and yelled, “Peters, Byrd, rifle grenades! Now”

Two of the paratroopers quickly ran ahead and attached grenades to the launchers on their rifle muzzles. They knelt, placed their rifles on the ground, and fired, sending the grenades right to the window. Before another gunner could take over the MG, the grenades hit their position. The gun, as well as a large section of wall, promptly blew up.

Boyd laughed and looked back. “‘Collateral damage?’ Never heard of it.”

The rest of the men laughed and they advanced down the street, more gunfire exchanging between the two sides. Eventually, they found themselves in the large town square, where the enemy had dug themselves in deep.

“Overrun them!” Tucker yelled. “We can do this!”

The soldiers rushed the square, firing on any exposed soldier they saw. Surprised by the American’s attack, most of the Italian soldiers were killed. Those remaining hurried to the opposite end of the square and took defensive positions.

As the American soldiers hurried in, a faint rumbling sound could be heard. Tucker stopped and asked, “The hell is that?”

The soldiers looked around, trying to find the origin of the noise. Suddenly, Dutch’s gaze shifted and his eyes widened.

“PANZER! LEFT SIDE!”

Buck looked over and his eyes widened as a Panzer IV tank slowly rolled into the square. Its massive gun shifted towards the attacking Americans.

“COVER!” Buck yelled.

The Americans had no time to react; the 75mm shell hit one of the covers sending, a group of paratroopers flying. The tanks MG began firing wildly and the enemy soldiers ran towards them.

“Pull back!” Tucker yelled. “Stay low!”

The soldiers turned and ran back to the other end of the square. The Panzer fired again, the round blowing a storefront wide open. The soldiers made it to the other end as the enemy took cover and fired on them.

“It’s not moving!” Dutch yelled. “It’s just gonna keep us from advancing!”

“That Panzer’s gonna tear us apart!” Tucker yelled.

Thinking quickly, Buck yelled, “Mickey?!”

Hurrying to Buck, Mickey dove as another tank round shot passed. “Yes, Gunny?!”

“You still have any rockets?!” Buck asked as he fired his Thompson.

“Only one, Gunny!” Mickey replied.

“We’ll make it count!” Buck yelled. “Swing ‘round and hit that Panzer in the ass! Armor’s thinner there!”

Mickey saluted and readied his launcher. “Yes, sir!”

“Rookie, go with him. Give him fire support!” Buck ordered

“Roger!” Delaney replied. “Let’s go, Mickey!”

The two soldiers ran further back away from the soldiers and swung around the opposite street. Several soldiers suddenly appeared opposite of them and began shooting.

“Shit!” Delaney hissed. “Mickey, duck!” As Mickey hid from the line of fire, Delaney aimed and fired on the enemies. He killed all of the attackers just as his clip _pinged_.

“Alright, let’s go,” Delaney said. The pair continued up the street, flinching when they heard the Panzer fire again.

“That damn tank’s still going,” Delaney said. He looked to Mickey and asked, “One rocket gonna be enough?”

Mickey nodded. “Yeah. Hitting it in its rear armor will disable just about any tank.”

Delaney nodded and the two hurried around another corner. They ran down the street and a few moments later reached the area where the Panzer was stationed. It fired once again.

“Hit that son of a bitch,” Delaney said.

Mickey knelt and unslung his launcher. He aimed right for the rear armor, lining up his sights to where the engine would be.

“Going loud!” he yelled.

He pulled the trigger and the rocket sailed downrange. It flew for about thirty feet before penetrating the Panzer’s armor. The rear exploded and the tank groaned.

“Nice shot!” Delaney exclaimed. He ran towards the tank and hopped onto it; the turret hatch opened and the tank commander appeared, coughing as smoke billowed from the inside. Delaney stood behind him and put a round through his head. He unclipped a couple of grenades from his belt and pulled the pins.

“Watch your head!” he shouted as he dropped the grenades and sealed the hatch. He hopped off and ran, chuckling when he heard the shouts of the tank crew within becoming silenced by the muffled blasts of the grenades.

…

Buck smirked as he watched his men disable the tank in the distance. He stood tall and yelled, “Panzer’s down! Move!”

The American soldiers yelled and rushed the Italian soldiers. They tried to fend off the attackers but were quickly overwhelmed. Within a matter of minutes, the American forces decimated the enemy soldiers.

The paratroopers cheered at their victory. As Tucker’s men celebrated, Buck smiled as Delaney and Mickey approached. He chuckled and said, “Damn fine work, boys.”

Mickey nodded. “We aim to please.” He hefted his launcher and added, “Let’s pray to God we don’t run into any other tanks.”

Buck and the others laughed as Tucker approached. “I had some small doubts about you boys, but goddamn you proved me wrong.”

Buck smiled. “Well, we do go all out.”

Tucker nodded and said, “My boys back at the village entrance have informed me that the armor support got bogged down helping the 1st Infantry at Gela. They won’t be here ‘til tomorrow morning.”

“Very well,” Buck said. “We’ll camp out here for tonight then roll out with our armor support when they arrive.”

Tucker nodded as he turned and rejoined his men. Buck returned to his squad and said, “Okay boys, the village is quiet. You boys get a little reprieve tonight.”

The squad smiled and cheered. They immediately walked over to join the paratroopers. Buck’s gaze drifted towards the still-burning Panzer. He chuckled and walked on to join his men.


	5. Rolling Out

Night had fallen at the village and the American soldiers had set up camp in the village square. The paratroopers of the 504th and the marines of Alpha-Nine talked and mingled with one another after their fierce day of fighting.

Delaney had just finished cleaning his field stripped Garand. As he started to put everything back together Dutch approached and sat down.

“You did a damn fine job today, Rookie,” he commended.

Delaney smiled. “Thanks, Dutch.” He closed the action of his rifle and said, “Ready for action.” He flipped the rifle in his hands, not noticing that Romeo was walking right behind him. The butt of the rifle smacked into his knee.

Romeo growled in pain and clutched his knee. _“Goddammit!”_ he hissed. He looked at Delaney and said through gritted teeth, “Stop screwing around, Rookie.”

Delaney held his hands up defensively. “I’m sorry, Romeo. I didn’t see-”

“Maybe you should pay more attention,” he said. He brushed past him and Dutch, making his way to another part of the camp. Delaney looked at Dutch, who was shaking his head.

“I don’t know what his deal is,” he said. “The guy’s been an asshole with me ever since I arrived.” Delaney pointed his hand at him and asked, “What the hell did I do?”

Dutch sighed. “You didn’t do anything, Rookie.”

“It sure doesn’t seem like that,” Delaney said.

Dutch nodded. “It’s not what you did, it’s why you’re here.”

Delaney looked at Dutch. “What do you mean?”

“Baruti Komen,” Dutch answered.

Delaney looked confused. “Who?”

“Baruti Komen,” Dutch repeated. “He’s the guy you replaced.”

Delaney nodded in understanding. “I get it.” He paused for a moment and asked, “What can you tell me about him?”

Dutch smirked. “Komen was the other one along with Gunny that proposed this squad to the higher-ups. Marines were mostly needed in the Pacific, but Gunny and Komen both knew that a Marine’s skills would be vital in the western theater, which was seen as a priority.”

Dutch paused and continued. “We called Komen ‘Gramps’ because he was the oldest, but boy was he a helluva soldier.” He nodded to Romeo and said, “He and Romeo were real close. Romeo saw someone he could connect to; a familiar face. Both of them faced the same bullshit every day, but they both soldiered on despite the difficulties.”

Delaney nodded again. There was a short silence before he asked, “So, what happened?”

Dutch sighed. “Kasserine Pass; it was a fuckin’ shit show. Our boys were getting their asses handed to them and so we were sent in. All I remember when we arrived was the 26th Regiment dug into the pass while Rommel pounded them with everything he had.”

Dutch continued. “Once it became obvious that the day wasn’t gonna get any better, we began to help organize a retreat to get the hell outta there.” Dutch removed his gloves and sighed.

“A platoon of soldiers had gotten themselves pinned down by Kraut armor and infantry. Gunny ordered Gramps to man a machine-gun nest and provide them with vital covering fire. However, just as the last soldier made it to the safe zone, a fuckin’ Panzer rolled up and fired its gun on Gramps’s position. He didn’t even have time to yell.”

Dutch paused again; Gramps’s death still a little heavy on him as well. “Romeo practically went berserk. We had to restrain him to keep him from running out into enemy fire. We hightailed it outta there, and the Germans overwhelmed the position.”

Dutch sighed again. “Romeo changed after that day. His normally good-humored sarcasm and smooth demeanor were replaced by borderline nihilism. He got into fights with other soldiers we were stationed with, talked back to superior officers. Hell, if it weren’t for Gunny, Romeo would’ve been discharged long ago.”

“How’d he take the news that Gunny was getting a replacement?” Delaney asked.

Dutch chuckled. “I swear, I thought he was going to punch Gunny. He raised hell about it but there was no changing Gunny’s mind. We were down a man, and we needed a new one.” Dutch pointed his hands at Delaney. “And lo and behold, here you are.”

Delaney chuckled. “Yeah, here I am.” He nodded his head at Romeo and said, “He’d better cut that attitude though.”

Dutch waved his hand. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll grow on ya. If it’s any consolation for ya, I’m glad you’re here.”

“Really?” Delaney asked.

“Yeah,” Dutch answered. “You’ve proven in a fairly short amount of time that you’re a capable soldier. We’re all glad to have your skill set.”

Delaney nodded. “Thanks, Dutch.”

The older soldier smiled and got up to walk towards Buck. Delaney rested his rifle against a nearby crate and leaned back. He removed his helmet and closed his eyes to rest up for what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

The next day came and the 504th and Alpha-Nine were readying themselves for action. The soldiers checked their weapons and other equipment while others sat and waited. At the center of the activity, Buck was showing Tucker the maps he had procured from their first engagement.

“Enemy forces seem to be concentrated to the west around Palermo,” Buck explained.

“Capital’s gonna be heavily defended,” Tucker said. “It’s gonna be a little bit before we can tackle that.”

Buck nodded and looked up as he heard rumbling coming from the nearby street. He smiled when he saw half a dozen M4 Sherman tanks rolling into the square. The paratroopers cheered as one stopped and the top hatch opened.

“Glad you could join us, Miller,” Tucker greeted.

Miller waved his hand. “Sorry we were late. The 1st was getting hammered all around.” He noticed Buck and asked, “Who might you be?”

“Gunnery Sergeant Buck, USMC special forces squad Alpha-Nine,” he answered.

Miller laughed. “Jesus, that’s a mouthful. Staff Sergeant Brad Miller, 2nd Armored Division.”

Buck nodded and asked, “So, where are we heading?”

“Command is asking us to advance west along the island’s southern lines,” Miller explained. “Enemy AA emplacements and planes have been downing our birds and transports carrying paratroopers.”

Buck looked back at the map and thought for a moment. He turned to Miller and asked, “You think you could spare one of your tanks?”

“What for?” Miller asked.

Buck grabbed the map and showed it to Miller. “This map here points out an enemy airfield about twenty miles southwest of here. If my squad and I can take it, our flyboys’ troubles will be over in this area.”

“An entire airfield by yourselves?” Miller questioned.

Tucker smirked. “Don’t underestimate ‘em, Miller. They’ll prove you wrong.”

Miller shrugged. “Alright, if you say so.” He turned around and yelled, “Brooks!”

The hatch of the Sherman next to Miller’s popped open and a man appeared. “Yeah?!” he asked.

“You’re taking the squad of Marines to clear the airfield,” Miller said. “You’ll regroup with us when you’re finished.”

Brooks gave him a thumbs up. “You got it, Miller.”

Turning back to Tucker, Miller said, “We’re ready when you are, LT.”

Tucker nodded. “All squads, get on the tanks!”

Buck turned to his men and yelled, “Alright, fuck sticks! Mount up!”

The paratroopers hurried over and climbed onto the other tanks while Buck and the other marines climbed onto Brooks’ tank.

“Hold on tight,” Brooks said. “It might get a little rough.”

“I know that feeling,” Mickey said with a chuckle.

“Like hell you do, Mickey,” Romeo snidely remarked. “You wouldn’t know anything about ‘rough rides’.”

Mickey smirked. “Not what your mother said.”

Laughs and hollers came from the other marines sitting on the tank and the crew inside. Romeo shook his head and Brooks said, “Okay, let’s move out!”

The tanks, now loaded with soldiers, lurched a little and rolled out of the square. They drove through the abandoned streets and eventually exited the village.

“Alright, we separate here!” Miller yelled over the roar of the tank engines. “Good luck, Brooks!”

“Back at ya, Miller!” Brooks replied. The tank separated from the others and continued across the rugged terrain. Brooks fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and asked, “Anybody got a light?”

Dutch reached down and fished out his lighter. The others all grabbed their smokes and held it up to Dutch’s lighter. He offered it to Delaney and said, “Need a light, Rookie?”

Delaney shook his head. “Nah, I don’t smoke.”

Brooks sputtered and coughed. “What? You’re fighting a war and you don’t smoke?”

“Hey, you should know that little kids aren’t supposed to be smoking cigarettes,” Romeo said.

Delaney shook his head as the other guys laughed. The tank continued rolling across the expansive countryside towards its destination. The men passed the time by talking.

“Alright, uh…LaMotta vs Graziano?” Dutch asked.

“Oh, Graziano easily,” Buck answered.

“What?” Mickey asked incredulously. “No way. The Bronx Bull would KO Graziano in a heartbeat.”

“Graziano’s got that mean left hook though,” Buck pointed out.

“Yeah, but LaMotta’s a fuckin’ beast in the ring,” Delaney said. “He’d just shrug off anything Graziano throws at him.”

“Thank you,” Mickey said.

Laughing, Delaney asked, “Alright, uh, Bears vs Packers?”

The men responded immediately. “Bears, easily. They were undefeated last season,” Buck replied.

“They lost the championship to the Redskins though,” Dutch pointed out. “Green Bay’s defense is looking hot this year.”

“Chicago slaughtered them last season,” Brooks said. “Luckman’s unstoppable.”

Delaney laughed. “My father was born in Chicago so he’s a Bears fan. I guess it rubbed off on me.”

“Your father sounds like he’s got bad taste,” Dutch commented.

The men all laughed, but as they collected themselves their ears perked as they heard a noise in the distance.

“You hear that?” Brooks asked.

The men stopped laughing instantly and listened closer. They could hear a faint buzzing sound, but it was growing louder and louder.

“It’s getting closer,” Buck said.

The men looked all around them but couldn’t see anything. Mickey looked up and his eyes widened.

“Eleven o’clock!” he yelled.

The men looked up and saw a small black dot high in the air. The faint buzzing grew instead into a roar as it got closer.

Buck’s eyes widened. “Stuka! Clear the tank!”

The Marines hopped off the tank while Brooks dropped back inside. The tank immediately began backing up as the Stuka closed in.

 _“Bates, get some fire on that Stuka!”_ Brooks yelled from inside.

The tank’s bow Browning MG shifted up and began firing. The Stuka suddenly tilted and began diving right for the tank.

 _“I can’t get a shot!”_ Bates yelled.

“It’s coming right at you!” Buck yelled. “Get out!”

 _“Hatches!”_ Brooks yelled.

Buck looked up and saw the Stuka flying right over, dropping its payloads right to the tank.

“GET DOWN!” Buck shouted.

The Marines dove and covered their heads. A split-second later there was a loud boom, followed by a massive explosion. Buck looked up and saw the Sherman was now a burning wreck.

“Stay down!” Dutch yelled. “Stuka’s making another pass!”

Buck and the others kept still as they heard the plane roar once again. Buck (and the others) flinched when the Stuka flew low over them, obviously admiring his handiwork. The plane’s engines roared as it flew away. The roar returned to the faint buzz before it was quiet once more.

The Marines stayed still for several minutes to make sure the Stuka was gone. Eventually, Buck slowly raised his head and asked, “Everybody still got their limbs?”

“I’m okay,” Delaney replied.

“Good here,” Dutch answered.

“Fine and dandy,” Mickey responded.

“Fuckin’ peachy,” Romeo deadpanned.

Buck and the others got up and observed the burning tank. He walked over and fruitlessly yelled, “Brooks?!” There was no answer.

Buck sighed. “Fuck,” he said breathlessly.

Dutch walked over and said, “We need to move, Gunny. We’re too exposed.”

Buck nodded. “Agreed.” He looked to the back of the tank, noticing it was relatively undamaged. “Scavenge what you can.”

The Marines collected spare ammo and other supplies that miraculously survived the Stuka’s strike. Mickey grabbed what appeared to be a large green box.

“Hey Gunny, check it out,” Mickey said. “It’s an SCR 300.”

Buck shook his head. “Won’t do us any good. We’re well out of range of any Allied channels.”

Mickey shrugged. “I’m still taking it.”

Romeo chuckled. “Won’t be doing them any good.”

With the supplies taken, the squad readied their weapons and Buck said, “Okay ladies, let’s move. We still got about ten miles from the airfield.”

“Yes, sir,” Delaney said.

The squad moved out, trekking across the countryside. There was silence among the men for a while, broken only by Delaney.

“Fuck,” he said. “What are we going to tell Sergeant Miller?”

Buck sighed. “That Brooks and his crew died fighting in service to their country, as all of us are.”

“Amen, Gunny,” Dutch said.

A few hours passed when the squad arrived at the outskirts of a small forest. They headed in, marching over fallen trees and foliage as they pushed through.

Delaney smiled. “You know, this reminds me a lot of back home. I lived right next to the woods, and my friends and I would just go off and explore for hours at a time.”

“Hey,” Romeo said. “You hear that?” He looked to the others and saw there was no response. “Do you see that?” Again, nothing.

“Romeo, what are you talking about?” Delaney asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Romeo answered. “I’m just listening and looking for whoever the fuck asked.”

The squad smirked and laughed. “Now boys,” Buck said in an attempt at a reprimanding tone, “there’s nothing wrong with a little reminiscing about life back home.”

Mickey smirked. “Yeah Gunny, what did you do for fun in the good ‘ol days?”

The squad laughed and Buck cocked an eyebrow. "'Good 'ol days'?" he asked. “I’m only forty-two.”

“Yeah,” Dutch said as he chuckled. “1842.”

The squad laughed again, stopping when they heard a faint engine roar. The Marines looked to the canopy, but couldn’t see anything.

“Squad, form up,” Buck said as he raised his hand.

The Marines formed up into a tight group and followed Buck through the woods. A few minutes later, they made it to the edge of the woods. Sitting a couple hundred yards ahead of them was a medium-sized airfield. The flags fluttering in the wind revealed it to be a German Luftwaffe airfield

“There it is, boys,” Buck announced. “Rookie, get eyes on it.”

Delaney nodded as he retrieved his binoculars. “I’m seeing only six planes,” he reported. “They’re all Stukas.”

“Probably a staging area for the dive bombers to take on dive-bombing missions,” Dutch suggested.

“What about the perimeter?” Buck asked.

Delaney looked again. “I’ve got eyes on seven guard towers, two guards and one MG at each. I see some AA guns inside the airfield.”

“Any idea on personnel?” Buck asked.

Delaney scanned all across the airfield. “I’m counting about fifty plus change.”

“Nothing too bad,” Mickey pointed out.

“Yeah, until those Stukas take off and rip us to shreds,” Romeo said.

Buck was about to say something else when he heard engines beginning to rev. The Marines looked out and saw the Stukas beginning to taxi out onto the main runway. The six planes rolled down the runway before taking off.

“Well, would ya look at that,” Delaney said.

Buck nodded. “Okay, here’s the plan: Romeo, you stay here and provide overwatch for us. Open fire when we go loud; concentrate on those towers.” He looked out at the airfield and said, “The rest of you are with me; we’ll swing around the woods and enter through the east side.”

He looked to the men and asked, “Everybody happy?”

“Yes, sir,” the men replied.

Nodding, Buck replied, “Okay, let’s move.”

Romeo remained at his position while the rest moved along the edge of the forest, keeping behind the trees to make sure wandering eyes didn’t see them.

Buck and the others made it to the blind spot in the airfield. The men checked their weapons, readying them for the coming fight.

“Okay, let’s go,” Buck said. “Rookie, kick us off.”

Delaney nodded as he lined up his rifle sights with one of the guards in the tower. He pulled the trigger and fired, hitting the guard square in the head.

“Weapons free!” Buck yelled.

The men stood up and ran from the woods. The other guard in the tower tried to line up the MG on them, but a loud _crack_ rang out and the second guard fell; Romeo chuckled as he rotated the bolt of his rifle.

“Keep moving!” Buck yelled. “Cut the fence!”

The airfield was now on high-alert as the Marines made it to the perimeter. Mickey grabbed his wire cutters and sniped through the fencing, allowing them to slip inside. They ran past the tower, firing on any enemies they saw. Romeo made short work of the tower guards as well.

“Dutch, up top! Use that MG! Rip these bastards to shreds!” Buck ordered.

“On it!” Dutch replied. He hurried towards one of the cleared towers and climbed the ladder. He reached the gun and aimed the sights on the enemy soldiers. The gun roared as the rounds tore through the enemies.

Delaney fired the eighth round of his Garand. As he reloaded, he looked up. “Shit! Gunny, the Stukas are back!”

Buck looked up and saw the six planes that had left earlier had returned. They were flying in low right at them; they flew over, spraying the area all around with MG fire. Buck looked ahead and found one of the AA guns.

“Move!” Buck yelled. “Get to that gun, Rookie! We’ll cover you!”

Delaney hurried towards the AA gun, Buck and Mickey killing any other enemies that got close. He hopped on the gun, rotating the wheels and looking through the spider sight.

“Light ‘em up!” Buck yelled as he reloaded his Thompson. “Mickey, help with the reload!”

Delaney turned the gun again, lining up with the Stukas. He pressed his foot onto the trigger and opened fire. The rounds burst all around the enemy planes; a couple of them had their wings shredded and they crashed into the ground. The remaining planes passed overhead.

“Reloading!” Mickey yelled as he attached another magazine.

“They’re coming ‘round! Three o’clock!” Buck yelled.

Delaney swung the gun right and lined up the sights. He fired once more, hitting three more of the planes; the last one zoomed overhead, but it quickly swung back around.

“Come on, Rookie! Hit that son of a bitch!” Mickey exclaimed.

Delaney lined up the sights on the last plane. The Stuka was coming right at them; just as he saw the flash of the plane’s MGs, he opened fire, hitting the plane square in the fuselage. The Stuka spun out of control and into the runway behind them in a massive fireball.

The three men cheered and Delaney climbed off the gun. Dutch walked over from his tower and joined them, and a few minutes later Romeo entered the base.

“Good work, Marines,” Buck commended. “Okay, let’s look for a radio and inform command.”

The squad walked over to the command building, where they found a small radio station. Mickey sat down at the chair and began adjusting the dials, trying to find the correct frequency.

“Chop-chop, Mickey,” Buck said.

“Shut up, Gunny,” Mickey replied. He turned one last dial and said, “Alright, she’s good to go.”

Buck grabbed the mic just as the operator on the other end said, _“This is a secured frequency. Who is this?”_

“This is Gunnery Sergeant Buck, Alpha-Nine,” Buck replied. “May I speak to Colonel Hood?”

There was a little silence for a moment before the other end crackled. _“Gunny, it’s good to hear your voice. How’ve you and your squad been holding up?”_

“Just fine, sir,” Buck replied. “Cleared a couple of villages, cleared an airfield, and just made life hell for the Krauts and Italians.”

 _“Music to my ears,”_ Hood said. _“Send us your location and we’ll pick you up to bring you to the operations center.”_

“Copy that,” Buck replied. He gave their location and turned the radio off. He looked to his men and said, “Alright, our ride should be here in about thirty. Get some rest, boys. You earned it.”

The Marines smiled and cheered as they walked around the room and sat down at the chairs spread all over. It’d been a helluva day.


	6. Big Guns, Big Plays

_Allied Operations Center_

_Caltanissetta, Sicily_

_July 30 th, 1943_

Almost a month had passed since the invasion and Sicily was nearly in Allied hands. Benito Mussolini, the fascist Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, was deposed from power by his own government on July 25th. To support the ruined dictator, and realizing they couldn’t hold back the Allies in Sicily, the Germans ordered their forces to be evacuated from the island. All that stood before Sicily’s liberation were a few heavily-defended points.

Buck and the rest of Alpha-Nine were sitting around in their new designated corner of the base. Romeo was adjusting his sniper scope, Dutch was reading a newspaper brought back from stateside, Mickey was tinkering with the SCR 300 he had taken from Brooks’ tank, and Delaney was resting on some crates. Buck was elsewhere in the base.

“Hell yeah, Cardinals beat the Phillies,” Dutch said as he reached the Sports Section.

Mickey smacked the ground he was sitting on. “Goddammit! My Phillies just can’t catch a break!”

Delaney chuckled. “Maybe pick a better team.”

“Hey, I’m from Philly,” Mickey explained. “You’re either a Phillies fan or you’re not.”

Dutch chuckled. “Well, they play Pittsburg next week. Hopefully, they have better luck.”

“Doubtful,” Delaney commented.

The others laughed at Mickey’s expense. As they laughed, Buck walked into the corner; the soldiers all simply nodded in greeting.

“What’s the joke today, ladies?” he asked.

“Just Mickey’s Phillies getting their asses kicked…again.”

Buck laughed. “That’s what you get for rootin’ for a shit team, Mickey.”

“Whatever,” Mickey said.

Buck and the others chuckled before he collected himself. “Alright, anyway, Colonel Hood’s informed me that the 1st and 9th Divisions are moving to take Troina tomorrow at first light. He’s requested a couple of us to make a reconnaissance run to scope out the opposition.” He sat down on one of the crates. “Rookie, Romeo, I’ve volunteered your services.”

“What?” Romeo complained.

Buck looked to him. “What? You clearly aren’t doing anything constructive.”

“No, I mean why send me out with the kid?” Romeo asked.

Buck nodded at Delaney. “That ‘kid’ as you so lovingly labeled him as last week killed an entire Kraut patrol and disabled two Panzer III tanks. I’d daresay you’re in good hands.” He fixed Romeo with a pointed glare. “So, quit complaining and get ready to move.”

Romeo sighed as he grabbed his Springfield and attached his scope. He got up and said, “Wait here, Rookie. I’ll get a Jeep.”

Delaney looked on as Romeo walked away before turning to Buck. “Uh, Gunny, why are you sending me out there with him?”

Buck looked at Delaney. “What? You got a problem with him?”

Delaney shook his head. “No, _he’s_ got a problem with _me_.”

Buck shook his head. “Typical Romeo,” he muttered. He looked back to Delaney and said, “Well, think of this as a ‘bonding experience’, Rookie.”

Delaney turned around just as he heard an engine rumble. He saw Romeo pull up in a Jeep. “Let’s go!” he yelled.

As the rest of the squad laughed, Delaney grabbed his Garand and walked over to the Jeep. He climbed in and Romeo immediately took off, the pair exiting the base.

…

The pair drove for only about ten minutes and already this was one of the most awkward rides Delaney had been on. Romeo hadn’t said one single word the entire time, and Delaney quickly learned he wasn’t one for conversation.

At least, with him.

Delaney looked over at Romeo’s Springfield, noticing several notches carved into the handguard.

“What are those notches for?” Delaney asked.

Without looking at him, Romeo answered, “I carve one every time I kill a person who asks me a stupid question.”

Delaney sighed and turned away from Romeo. They continued a little longer before he suddenly noticed something; he saw a brief flash along one of the nearby hills.

“Hey, Romeo-”

“No more stupid questions, Rookie,” Romeo sharply responded.

Delaney’s eyes widened as he saw something sail from behind the hill. “ROMEO! MORTARS!”

Without warning, Delaney grabbed the wheel and twisted it. The Jeep swerved and rolled, ejecting the two men and sending the vehicle flying. The mortar shell hit right where the Jeep was driving.

The two men groaned as they slowly got to their feet. Romeo grabbed is Springfield and looked at Delaney. “You trying to kill us?!” he yelled.

Delaney was about to retort when the Jeep exploded; the enemy mortars had them zeroed.

“Come on, we gotta take out those mortars!” Delaney yelled.

“Says who?!” Romeo asked. “You?!”

“Now’s not the fucking time!” Delaney yelled. “Let’s move!”

Romeo groaned and followed Delaney. They ran right towards the hill where the mortars were firing. The shells hit in front or behind them, kicking up dirt into them as they ran.

“We need to get closer and under those mortars!” Delaney yelled.

“No shit!” Romeo replied.

Delaney shook his head as he and Romeo continued running towards the hill. Eventually, German infantry began appearing atop the hill, firing at the advancing soldiers. Delaney dove and opened fire with his Garand; Romeo did the same with his sniper.

Emptying a clip, Delaney reloaded and continued up the hill. He and Romeo were finally within the safe zone to keep safe from mortar fire. More infantry attempted to fire on them but the two marines picked them off.

They finally reached the top of the hill, where they found an open pit with three mortar tubes and their crews inside. Delaney immediately opened fire, killing some of the unarmed crew members. One of them grabbed a mortar shell and slammed it on the baseplate; he stood tall and readied to throw.

_CRACK_

A round pierced his head and he fell to the ground. Delaney barely had enough time to drop back to the edge of the hill before the dead German dropped the mortar round. A massive explosion went off, followed by a massive cascade of dirt, and then, silence.

Delaney opened his eyes and crawled to the top of the hill. He found the pit burning from the mortar round destroying the ammo caches. He heard a chuckle and saw Romeo walk over.

“Probably one of my best shots,” he said.

Delaney surveyed the pit and said, “If this is here I can guarantee these hills are filled with more mortar pits and other gun crews. We gotta alert command.”

“No shit, Rookie,” Romeo deadpanned. He walked over and climbed into a nearby half-track motorcycle and started it up. “Climb on, let’s go.”

Delaney nodded and hurried over. He climbed on the back and Romeo eased themselves back down the hill. They passed by their destroyed Jeep and made their way back to base.

…

The pair arrived back at the base, driving through the entrance before stopping back at the corner. Buck looked up and smiled when he saw his men pulling in.

“What happened to the Jeep?” he asked.

“Backseat driver over here happened,” Romeo replied as he nodded at Delaney.

“I saved our asses from becoming a fine red mist,” Delaney said.

“What happened?” Buck asked.

Delaney groaned as he sat down. “We were ambushed by a Kraut mortar pit during patrol. We managed to clear it, but there’s gotta be several mortars and other artillery emplacements hidden in those hills.”

Buck nodded. “That’s a problem.” He stood up and said, “Come on, ladies. Let’s go see Hood.”

The men stood up and followed Buck out of the corner. They headed towards the command tent, where Colonel Hood was going over a map with a few other officers. He looked up and saw Buck approach.

“Colonel Hood, sir,” Buck greeted; he and his squad saluted.

Hood returned the salute. “At ease, gentlemen. What is it?”

Buck looked to Delaney and said, “Go ahead, Rookie.”

Delaney stepped forward and said, “Well sir, Romeo and I went on patrol as per your orders when we were ambushed by an enemy mortar emplacement. We were able to clear the pit, but we fear that the hills are filled with enemy artillery that could halt tomorrow’s offensive.”

Hood nodded. “That’s not good. If the Krauts’ defenses are as extensive as you envision, then this offensive will be ground to a halt.”

“If they’ve dug themselves in, we’ll dig ‘em out,” Buck said.

Hood looked up at Buck. “Do you have a plan, Gunny?”

“Some semblance of one,” Buck replied. “My squad and I can hit as many of those guns and mortars as we can in the early hours before the 1st and 9th arrive. If we can silence that artillery, securing Troina will be a fuckin’ cakewalk.”

Hood nodded. “If you think you and your squad are capable enough, then you have the green light.”

Buck smiled. “Thank you, sir.” The marines saluted and turned around to walk back to their corner.

“Okay, check your weapons, Mickey, ready your demo gear, get some shuteye,” Buck ordered. “We’ll move out at nightfall.”

The soldiers nodded and went about gathering their gear. Mickey grabbed and set a couple of crates down next to his spot before turning to the others.

“Okay, whatever you bastards do,” Mickey said with warning. “Do. Not. Fuck. With. These.”

“Why?” Delaney asked.

“Because there’s a little over twenty pounds of thermite in each crate, and I’d prefer we don’t burn this place to a crisp,” Mickey replied.

The marines each took large steps back away from Mickey and the thermite. “You sleep next to that shit?” Dutch asked.

Mickey shrugged. “What? I think of it like the teddy bear I sleep with at night.”

Buck shook his head. “You’ll kill us all.”

* * *

Night had fallen and Alpha-Nine had left the base. Delaney and Buck were on point while Romeo covered their rear. In the middle, Mickey and Dutch were carefully carrying the two crates of thermite. Using the light of the moon, they made their way to their target area.

Dutch groaned. “Dammit, how much further? My arms are aching.”

“A little encouragement to keep ‘em up is that we’ll be burned to cinders if they go off,” Mickey replied.

Dutch hefted the crate. “At this point, it’s awful tempting. I’ve nearly tripped about three times.”

“We can’t use the lights,” Buck said. “That’ll give us away. We’ll just have to use the light of the moon.”

Delaney chuckled and smirked. _“By the light of the silvery moon,"_ he sang softly.

Buck smiled. _“I want to spoon,”_ he responded.

 _“To my honey, I’ll croon,”_ Dutch added.

 _“Love’s tune,”_ Romeo sang.

Mickey smiled. _“Honeymoon keep a shining in Juuuune-”_

The rest of the men groaned at Mickey’s attempt at singing.

“Jesus, it’s like nails on a chalkboard,” Romeo snidely remarked.

“Dammit, Mickey, you’re off-key,” Buck chided through a laugh.

As the other squad members gave him hell, Mickey said, “Hey now, I was the soloist for my church’s Youth Choir.”

“Boy, the years have not been kind,” Dutch commented.

The rest of the squad laughed, all except Buck. His ears perked when they picked up something. He held his hand up, which the others noticed and they fell silent.

 _“Shh,”_ he whispered. _“You hear that?”_

The others listened carefully and they heard it; German voices. They looked and saw they were next to a large hill, and atop it was the soft glow of a fire.

 _“That’s probably one of the guns,”_ Mickey said.

Buck nodded. _“Maintain formation. Keep it tight.”_

The squad slowly and carefully ascended the hill, Romeo joining Buck and Delaney while Dutch and Mickey stayed further behind with their volatile cargo.

Buck, Delaney, and Romeo reached the top edge of the hill. They found a massive gun dominating the space; along with it were seven German soldiers, five sleeping soundly around the gun while two were on lookout opposite of them.

 _“That’s one big ass gun,”_ Delaney said.

Buck nodded. _“One-hundred-fifty-millimeter,”_ he said. _“And probably about a dozen more.”_

 _“Well, let’s get started,”_ Romeo said.

Buck nodded and the three stood up and unsheathed their knives. Swiftly, Delaney approached and killed the lookouts. Buck and Romeo stalked over to the sleeping Germans and silently killed them all; they didn’t even have time to yell.

Buck slid his knife across the throat of the last German and said, _“Mickey, Dutch, come on up.”_

The two hurried up the hill, crates in hand. They set them down and Dutch began quietly singing praises as Mickey opened one of them. He withdrew a grenade from inside it.

 _“Okay, here goes,”_ Mickey said. He slid the breech of the gun open and pulled the pin of the grenade. He shoved the grenade inside before quickly withdrawing his hand and shutting the breech. A few seconds later there was a flash and the thermite ignited. The intense heat melted the metal around it, welding the breech shut.

 _“Woo!”_ Mickey exclaimed quietly. _“Dammit, I love thermite!”_

 _“Nice work, boys,”_ Buck said.

Delaney looked over and noticed a small table sitting a small distance from the gun. He walked towards it and noticed there were maps as well as a field phone. He grabbed one of the maps and walked over to Buck.

 _“Hey Gunny, check this out,”_ he said _. “Looks like a map of all of the artillery emplacements set up here.”_

Buck smirked. _“Helluva find, Rookie.”_ He studied the map next to the fire and said, _“Alright, closest one is a couple hundred yards northwest. Same as here; go in quiet, knock ‘em out.”_ The soldiers nodded and headed out, Romeo snuffing the fire before leaving.

Hours passed and the squad, through their slow but careful execution, managed to knock out another three 150mm guns and four mortar pits. Eventually, the sun began to rise, and they knew they’d only have a short amount of time before the assault began and the remaining guns would rain on friendly forces.

The squad had just finished eliminating another mortar pit. Buck released the German’s snapped neck from his grasp, dropping him. The rest of the squad secured the pit.

“Excellent work, marines,” Buck commended.

The rest of the men cheered when they suddenly heard massive bangs coming from the hills behind them. They ran to the edge of the mortar pit and saw what was causing the commotion; the American assault had begun.

“There they go,” Buck said.

Mickey raised his M1 Carbine. “Oorah, go get ‘em boys!”

“Come on, let’s clear out these hills. Give those boys a hole to punch on through,” Buck said.

The rest of the squad readied their weapons and followed Buck around the hill. Immediately, they could hear the shouts of German soldiers; within moments they heard the pops of mortars firing.

“I think the Germans know we’re attacking,” Dutch said.

“Get ready,” Buck said. The soldiers ran to the edge of the next hill and Buck held up his hand. “GO!”

The squad rushed up and over to find themselves facing several enemy mortar pits and two one-fifties. They opened fire on the crews, taking them completely by surprise.

Buck ran over and stood at the edge of one of the mortar pits, emptying an entire magazine into the crew. The rest of the squad advanced along the remainder of the hilltop, clearing trenches, destroying mortars and guns, and killing every enemy that crossed them.

Twenty minutes later, Mickey shoved his last thermite grenade down the barrel of another one-fifty. The heat melted a hole straight through the midpoint of the barrel, rendering the gun unusable.

“Another one down!” Mickey cheered.

Buck and the others hollered with glee as they watch the thermite burn. They looked to see several US soldiers approaching them. One of them was chuckling as he shook his head.

“Jesus, you boys certainly know how to leave your mark,” he said.

Buck and the others looked back; in their wake were burning artillery guns, destroyed mortar pits, and the piled bodies of dead Germans.

Buck shrugged. “We like to make an impression.”

The soldier nodded. “Sergeant Murphy, 16th Regiment, 1st Infantry. You must be them ‘Alpha-Nine’ fellas?”

“Indeed, we are,” Delaney replied.

Buck smirked. “What’s the situation?”

Murphy nodded his head behind Buck and the others. “Enemy forces have pulled back towards Troina. The town itself is heavily defended, and the Krauts and Italians have more weapon emplacements dug in throughout the mountains and hills _all over_.”

Dutch sighed. “Terrific.”

“Well, to make the capture easier, we’ll need to secure the entire perimeter,” Murphy said.

Nodding, Buck said, “Very well.” He turned around to his squad. “Okay marines, let’s move.”

The squad hurried away, crossing over another section of the hilltops. Suddenly, gunfire rang out below them. The marines dove for cover and Romeo peaked out; he immediately pulled his head back.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed. “Krauts are coming right at us!”

“I knew it they wouldn’t simply turn and run,” Buck said as he grabbed a fresh magazine. “They’re gonna counterattack and try and retake the hills.” He slammed the magazine into his Thompson and pulled the handle back.

“Lock and load, marines! This is gonna get hot!”

* * *

What followed was six days of fierce fighting. Most of the fighting was concentrated in the mountains and hills, both sides attacking, defending, retreating, then counterattacking; it was a battle of endurance; who could go on the longest.

In the end, the US forces came out on top, and by August 6th, the remaining elements of the German forces had withdrawn. And through it all, Alpha-Nine had burned through all that the Krauts could throw at them and then some.

The marines were relaxing outside a small bombed-out café. Delaney was sitting while drinking from his canteen. Dutch was cleaning his BAR while Mickey and Romeo were arm-wrestling.

Mickey groaned as he tried to push Romeo’s arm down. He was putting all of his strength behind his efforts; Romeo looked bored.

“You’ve been at it five minutes, Mickey,” Dutch said without looking. “Just give up.”

“No way!” Mickey explained. “I’m psyching him out. Eventually, I’ll-”

Romeo interrupted him when he slammed Mickey’s arm down on the table. The rest of the squad laughed, Mickey groaning in defeat.

Buck walked towards the squad, smiling when he saw them laughing. “What did I miss?” he asked.

“Only Mickey getting his ass kicked,” Romeo answered.

Mickey shook his head. He looked at Buck and noticed the paper in his hand. “What’s that, Gunny?”

Buck smiled. “Field report,” he answered. He flicked it and said, “British 78th Infantry have secured Centuripe. German 15th and 29th Panzergrenadier Divisions have almost completely withdrawn.” He paused and smiled as he added, “In layman’s terms, Sicily is essentially in Allied hands.”

The marines looked up and cheered. “Hell yeah, boys!” Delaney exclaimed.

“Where to next?” Dutch asked.

“Our forces will gather here until September, then, it’s off to Italy,” Buck said.

“And then Germany,” Dutch added.

Buck nodded at him. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” He walked over to sit down but stopped. “Oh, and one other thing,” he said. The squad waited and listened intently as Buck sat down and withdrew another paper.

“Pittsburgh beats Philly 6-2,” Buck said through a grin.

The squad howled with laughter as Mickey’s head sunk into his hands.


	7. La Resistenza

_US Fifth Army Beachhead_

_Salerno, Italy_

_September 26 th, 1943_

The invasion of Italy went underway on September 3rd, with the British 13th Corps departing from Sicily across the Strait of Messina. While the landings were of no problem, trouble soon arose. On September 8th, the Italian government formally surrendered to the Allies, and the Germans responded by sending in massive forces to disarm the Italians and occupy the country.

Alpha-Nine, never ones to be held back from the action, requested to be dropped in one day ahead of the landings at Salerno. Once behind enemy lines, they caused havoc and turmoil for the enemy, creating confusion and drawing troops meant to reinforce the beaches away. Within two days, the beaches had been linked.

Buck was gathered with a few other army officers to be debriefed on the situation and plans by Colonel Hood. On the table in front of them was a map of Southern Italy.

“The British 8th Army has fully advanced through Cosenza, Taranto, Brindisi, and Bari,” Hood explained as he moved his hand across the “heel” and “toe” of Italy. “Salerno thankfully has been fully secured. The Krauts have made no attempts to counterattack since we linked the beaches.”

Hood pointed to some photos taken by recon planes and added, “Even with Italy’s surrender, this has made little to no impact on the Germans’ strength. They maintain a tight grip on north and central Italy. Our next objective is to secure Naples and to begin operations to break the defensive lines protecting Rome.”

The officer nodded and Hood said, “All except Gunnery Sergeant Buck are dismissed.”

Buck remained as the other officers saluted and left. Once the last one had gone he asked, “How may I be of service, sir?”

Hood sat down and said, “Naples is going to be a tough nut to crack. Allied bombing runs have weakened the Germans’ grip, but they’re dug in deep.”

“So, what do you propose?” Buck asked.

“I want you and your squad to do what they do best: cripple the enemy from within and allow for a swift takeover,” Hood explained.

Buck nodded. “Understood, sir. I’ll get my men prepped.”

“Before you go, a warning,” Hood said. “Keep an eye out and check your fire for civilians. They’ll be far more present as we move further up Italy.”

Buck nodded. “Understood. You can count on us, sir.” With that, he saluted and exited. Buck walked away from the tent and observed the scene around him.

Landing craft lined the beach, and from them, Jeeps, tanks, trucks, and more soldiers poured out onto the sand. Planes flew in formation above while ammunition and other supplies were being carried further into the HQ.

Buck made his way towards where his squad had taken over. Suddenly, he began to hear shouts and cheers, followed by loud grunts and groans. He hurried over and laughed at what he saw.

A couple dozen army soldiers, navy sailors, pilots, and others were standing around a quickly-constructed boxing ring. Standing in the middle of it were two shirtless men wearing leather boxing gloves; Buck recognized them both.

Dutch threw another hook right at Delaney, connecting his fist with the side of his head. Delaney teetered a little but was able to swing and hit Dutch in his side. Romeo, Mickey, and the other soldiers cheered them on.

The two marines struck each other again and again, both still standing tall and not faltering. Eventually, the two threw themselves at each other, arms wrapping around one another.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Alright, that’s enough,” he called out. “We don’t want everybody bloodied and bruised; we’ve got a war to fight.”

The soldiers all groaned as they cleared the ring. Dutch and Delaney removed their gloves and shook hands before climbing out and saluting Buck.

“Damn, Rookie,” Dutch commended. “Helluva fight.”

Delaney sighed as he took a swig from his canteen. “Thanks, Dutch. You’re no pushover yourself.”

Buck smirked. “I hope you boys aren’t too worn out, because we got ourselves another assignment.”

“What is it?” Mickey asked as he approached.

“Colonel Hood has tasked us to run sabotage in Naples,” Buck explained. “If we can put the occupiers in disarray, then taking the city won’t be a problem.”

Dutch grinned. “Hell yeah.”

“We’ll move out now,” Buck explained. “We’ll wait until dark to enter the city. Once inside, we’ll show the enemy no mercy.”

The squad laughed and Buck said, “Okay, gear up, Dutch and Rookie, get some ice on your faces.”

The marines nodded and headed to their spot. Dutch and Delaney changed back into their combat gear and grabbed their weapons. They loaded their pouches with magazines and Mickey slung his bazooka over his shoulder.

“You got enough rockets?” Buck asked.

Mickey nodded. “Four. Why?”

Buck looked behind him in the direction of Naples. “I’ve got a feeling you’ll need ‘em.”

Five minutes later, the squad moved out from the beach and advanced towards Naples. They kept to the open countryside, avoiding the roads to keep out of sight of any enemy patrols. They were moving swiftly, at least, most of them were.

Dutch groaned again as another ache racked his body. “Goddammit, Rookie,” he complained. “I swear, I’m gonna be feeling those hits for weeks.”

Buck chuckled. “Aw, what is it, old man? Did the youngster really put you out of commission?”

“‘Old man’?” Dutch replied. “I’m only ten years younger than you, Gunny.”

Mickey shook his head. “Christ, you two have got me fearing for my life about getting older.”

The squad laughed and continued, passing the time with either stories or banter. Night began to fall and the squad more carefully advanced, dropping anytime they saw the lights of a truck or other vehicle passing by.

It was nearly ten o’clock when the squad arrived outside Naples. The streetlights illuminated the city and the docks were filled with naval vessels. Planes flew sporadically overhead and soldiers patrolled the perimeter.

“There she is, boys,” Buck said.

Romeo grabbed his binoculars and scanned the area in front of them. “The main entrance is guarded by a checkpoint. I see about ten soldiers, two MGs.”

Dutch shifted up a little. “How’re we getting in?”

Buck thought for a moment. “There’s no way we can take ‘em without sending the area on high alert.” He paused and looked back at the entrance. “I see a blind spot about a hundred yards to their right. That’s our way in. Stick to the shadows and move quietly. Form up.”

The marines crouched and lined up behind Buck. He raised his hand and dropped it, signaling them to move.

 _“Go,”_ he whispered.

The squad slowly and quietly moved through the darkened area towards the blind spot. While Buck kept his eyes on their entryway, the others kept their gazes on the checkpoint just in case any of the soldiers’ eyes wandered. It took them nearly five minutes, but the squad reached the blind spot. They snuck through, officially entering the city.

 _“Okay, we are heavily outnumbered,”_ Buck whispered. _“We need to move through the city and find ourselves a good place to hunker down.”_

Delaney nodded. _“I’ll take point.”_

 _“Alright,”_ Buck said. _“The rest of you, fall in.”_

The others formed up behind Delaney and advanced down the alleyway and into the next street. They’d stop whenever an enemy patrol would reveal themselves and they’d have to wait to pass by.

 _“You know where you’re going, Rookie?”_ Romeo asked.

Delaney shook his head. _“Not at all.”_

Romeo’s brow furrowed. _“Why the fuck are you on point then?”_

Delaney immediately turned around and hissed, _“I’m sorry, Romeo. Why don’t we just stop the next patrol and ask for directions?”_

Just when it seemed like the two were about to get into a soft shouting match, a lone soldier stepped out and saw the marines. _“Feindliche Soldaten!”_

Dutch fired a burst of his BAR, killing the German. More shouts broke the silence instantly.

“We’re about to have company!” Dutch yelled.

“Go loud!” Buck ordered. “Keep moving!”

The marines ran along the street, keeping their eyes peeled and their heads on a swivel for any other enemies. Suddenly, a half-track entered at the end of the street.

“Cover!” Buck yelled.

The marines took cover inside a couple of enclaves in the street. They would quickly poke out and fire before retreating to cover. Suddenly, another half-track appeared behind them.

“Fuck!” Mickey yelled. “Gunny, we’re trapped!”

Buck was about to respond when more gunfire erupted. The yells of the enemy soldiers were replaced with shouts of anguish. They heard two large booms and both half-track MGs went silent. Within minutes, it had all ended.

 _“Vieni fuori!”_ a voice yelled.

Buck looked at his squad and whispered, _“Be ready.”_ The marines eased out of the enclave.

The squad found at least a dozen armed men. They weren’t soldiers, as they were wearing an assortment of civilian clothes, but their weapons were certainly military. The marines were apprehensive as they slowly walked out _._

 _“Tu chi sei?”_ one of them asked.

The marines looked at each other and Mickey spoke up. “Uh, sorry, but we don’t speak Italian.”

One of the civilians approached and asked, _“Americano?”_

Buck nodded. “Yeah. Americans.”

The civilians noticeably relaxed. The one that asked replied, “Thank God. We thought you were them.”

Romeo cocked an eyebrow. “You kidding? If we were Krauts, why would we fire on them?”

Buck sighed. “Ignore him.” He stuck his hand out and said, “Gunnery Sergeant Buck, USMC. This is my squad, Alpha-Nine.”

“Good to meet you, Buck. I’m Vittore,” the man replied.

Dutch stepped forward and said, “Well, introductions are nice and all, but we’d best clear the hell outta here before more soldiers arrive.”

“You’re right,” Vittore said. “Come, follow us.”

Buck turned to the marines. “You heard the man, move.”

The men formed up and hurried down the street, passing the dead Germans and the burning half-track. Some of the men stopped to pick up the weapons on the ground.

The group hurried through the alleyways, stopping and hiding whenever patrols passed by in the streets. A few minutes later, they reached a small run-down building. Boards covered the windows and the whole place seemed abandoned.

“Quick, in here,” Vittore said.

Buck and the others walked through the open door and headed inside. The remaining resistance fighters walked in and shut the door. Buck watched as one of them pushed a nearby bookcase out of the way, revealing a hidden staircase.

“This way, my friends,” he said.

The marines headed down, finding a cramped, dimly-lit passageway. The bookshelf was slid back into place and the men walked down. Eventually, the lights grew brighter, and the marines walked through the entryway.

Before them was a large open space. Men and women were gathered all around at tables holding maps, documents, and weapons. The walls were plastered with resistance posters or Fascist propaganda with massive “Xs” through them. There was also a section of wall holding candles and various photographs of people.

“Welcome to the resistance,” Vittore said. “Men and women fighting for our city, our people, and to restore honor to Italy.”

Buck walked ahead and glanced at some of the maps and documents on the tables. “What’s the situation here?”

Vittore sighed. “Tensions are running high. When our government formally surrendered to the Allies, the Germans didn’t take that all too well. The Italian Army, or at least those not loyal to Mussolini, were disarmed and imprisoned. Civilians have recently been the targets of deportation efforts by the Germans. Public outrage was met with bullets.”

Another man approached and said, “Naples is under occupation by a German garrison numbering near 20,000. Businesses and schools have been closed, martial law in effect, strict curfews in place. The Germans are under orders to shoot any dissenters on sight.”

“Any actions taken by us or by other civilians are met with swift retaliation,” Vittore added.

“And yet you guys fight on?” Mickey asked.

Vittore looked at him and defiantly nodded. “Of course we do. We and the people of Naples are more than willing to give our lives for this cause. We will be free, or die trying.”

Turning to Buck, Vittore asked, “We were not expecting the Allies to be here so soon. Why are you here?”

“We were sent ahead of our forces to run sabotage missions here in Naples,” Buck answered. “Give the Krauts hell before the main force arrives.”

Vittore nodded. “Ah, then you might be just what we need.” He walked away and stood at one of the tables. “Despite our fighting spirit and determination, we are still incredibly disorganized. However, with your squad, we can create greater disarray with the Germans.”

“Your words are inspiring, but I don’t see how about three dozen people are going to fight an entire division,” Buck said.

“We are not the only ones,” Vittore said. “We have cells throughout the city. And once they strike, the people will as well. We will be there to support them.” He clapped his hands and moved past. “Come, there is much to do.”

Buck looked to his squad and shrugged. “Well, boys, not every day you get to help a rebellion.”

The marines chuckled and followed Buck and the other resistance fighters to plan their next moves.

* * *

Near the center of the city sat the Oberkommando der Garnison von Neapel, the German command center for the Naples occupation. The weathered building was now draped in the signature red banners of the Nazi regime.

Captain Alfred Grassl walked briskly through the halls of the building, passing by soldiers standing on guard, other officers conducting meetings, and women manning the telephones and telegraph machines. He walked past them all and made his way to the main radio room.

Inside, radio operators were keeping in contact with the various units that were spread all over the city to ensure the peace was maintained. However, the recent demonstrations and unrest the past few days have led to more drastic measures to be taken.

“Fischer?” Grassl said.

The head radio operator, Max Fischer, looked up and saluted Grassl. He returned it and presented Fischer with a document.

“New directive from Oberst Schöll,” Grassl explained. “He wants these disturbances quelled. He believes the resistance is stoking the flames of insurgency. This is granting all soldiers powers to enter and search homes without permission.”

“Couldn’t they already do that, sir?” Fischer asked.

“Ja,” Grassl replied. “But Oberst Schöll thinks the soldiers will feel better if it’s officially decreed.”

The two men laughed as Fischer took the document and readied the radio. Both were unaware of the turmoil that would come with the following days.


	8. Four Days of Naples (Pt.1)

_Romeo_

_Vomero District_

_September 27 th, 1943_

The next day arrived. The turmoil that had been brewing in Naples for the past week had exploded. Riots spread throughout the city, and resistance attacks on German armories and barracks increased, as did the Germans’ retaliation against civilians.

Alpha-Nine was now spread throughout the city, each member helping the resistance cells in their sabotage and guerilla efforts against the German occupiers. With each marine's individual training and skillset, as well as the partisans’ knowledge, they’d be unstoppable.

Romeo was stationed on top of an apartment building, his sniper rifle leaning against the ledge and a cigarette in his mouth. Another partisan was with him, armed with a captured MP40. They were waiting for some German officer’s car to pass through; wherever he was going, he wasn’t making it.

“So who the fuck is this guy we’re popping?” Romeo asked.

The partisan, Leone, shrugged and replied, “I do not know, and I do not care. If he wears the uniform of a Nazi, then he dies in it.”

Romeo chuckled as he blew a cloud of smoke. “Amen, brother.”

Leone looked back at Romeo, a scowl on his face. “I am not your brother.”

Romeo’s eyes flashed and he sharply asked, “The hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, I just don’t want you here,” Leone replied.

Romeo approached and stood in front of Leone. “Why not? We’re here to help you.”

Leone laughed. “Help?” He walked over to the edge and pointed out to the city. “What do you think destroyed this?”

Romeo looked out and saw the remains of bombed-out buildings. “Kraut artillery,” he answered.

Leone shook his head. “No. That was the result of one of the bombing raids made by the Allies.” He chuckled again and said, “I hear all of those broadcasts from Roosevelt and Churchill about ‘liberating Europe’, and then they deliver _this_ to us.”

“Aren’t you guys putting your own civilians at risk by carrying out these attacks?” Romeo asked.

Leone nodded. “Yes, but squads of soldiers are easier to evade than thousands of bombs raining from above.” Sighing, Leone collected himself and said, “Let’s just concentrate on our tasks. The sooner we send the Germans packing, the sooner Naples is free, and thus, the sooner _you_ leave.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” Romeo bit back. Suddenly, the pair heard engines in the distance.

“They’re coming,” Leone said. “Ready your rifle.”

Romeo nodded and grabbed his Springfield. He rotated the bolt and waited. He looked and saw a car turn and slowly drive down the street; two motorcycles followed.

“Leave the officer,” Leone said. “The rest are yours.”

Romeo aimed down his scope, zeroing in on the car’s driver. He pulled the trigger and the driver’s blood spattered all over the windshield. The officer in the back braced as the car swerved into a lamppost and wrecked. The two motorcycle riders attempted to swerve around but Romeo quickly dispatched them.

“Excellent work, my friend,” Leone commended as they walked to the fire escape.

“Oh, so I’m your friend now?” Romeo asked.

They descended the steps and Leone chuckled. “A little. Killing Nazis always puts me in a good mood.”

The pair made it to the street and approached the car. Leone unslung his MP40 and pulled the charging handle. He stood next to the car, staring down at the officer still disoriented from the crash. His eyes widened when they met Leone’s.

The officer had no time to yell as Leone pulled the trigger, emptying the magazine into the German. Within moments the gunfire ceased and the officer lay in a pool of blood.

Leone chuckled. “Rest in peace, bastardo.”

Suddenly, another pair of partisans were running down the street towards them. They stopped to collect their breath.

“Paolo, Nicola, what is it?” Leone asked.

Paolo stood and replied, “The Germans. They rounded up civilians and have taken them to Vanvitelli Square.”

“We have to save them,” Leone said. “Lead the way. Go.”

Nicola tilted his head and the four men hurried down the street. They ran for about half a mile before Nicola raised his hand. They braced against a nearby wall and peaked out to observe the scene. There were about two-dozen civilians under the eyes of about eight German soldiers.

 _“There are too many,”_ Nicola said. _“If we attack, they will kill them all.”_

Romeo looked at the people _. “And if we do nothing, they’ll be deported or executed anyway.”_

 _“We cannot attack,”_ Leone said. _“We don’t have enough men.”_

Romeo observed the scene again and looked up. A nearby building gave him a perfect vantage point. _“I’m all you’ll need,”_ he said.

 _“Are you crazy?!”_ Paolo hissed.

 _“A little,”_ Romeo said. _“Just be ready to get them out of here.”_

As quietly as he could, Romeo snuck over to the building next to them. He advanced up the stairs until he reached the top floor. He entered one of the rooms and made his way over to the window.

Kneeling, Romeo opened the bolt of his Springfield, reloading the three rounds he fired earlier. He then retrieved an extra three rounds and placed them on the ledge.

 _“Eight rounds, eight Krauts,”_ he thought. He closed the bolt and aimed through his scope, getting one of the Germans in his sights. He fired, and with lightning speed chambered a new round and fired again before the first enemy hit the ground.

The Germans jumped when two of their own were suddenly dead in the street. They shouted to one another as another crack filled the space, killing a third. Instantly, another crack went off and a fourth dropped dead. They aimed their guns at the civilians.

“Stop this now!” one of them shouted. “Or we will gun these people down right here!”

Romeo rotated the bolt just after he heard the German shout his demand. He smirked as he grabbed the last three bullets and inserted them into his rifle. He closed the bolt and aimed again.

“Four rounds, four Krauts,” he said.

The German soldiers, their fingers on the triggers, looked anxiously between each other as the silence dragged on. “Come out now and surrender!” one of them yelled.

The silence continued for only another second as three shots were fired in quick succession. Three of the German soldiers dropped dead, leaving only one standing. His breathing quickened as he turned around to the civilians. Their eyes widened and they braced themselves as he raised his gun.

_CRACK_

A bullet pierced the back of his head, shooting a gaping hole through the soldier's face. He fell over dead and the civilians went silent. A minute passed and they looked up to see a soldier walking towards them, rifle in hand.

Leone, Paolo, and Nicola slowly walked around the corner, looks of shock on their faces as they looked at the eight dead Germans and Romeo standing triumphantly. He smirked as he rotated the bolt, ejecting the last casing.

 _“Madon,”_ Leone said.

Romeo chuckled. “I told you I’m all you’d need.” He tilted his head at the civilians and said, “Now get them out of here.”

The partisans nodded and hurried over to the civilians. They helped them up and ushered them across the square to the adjacent alleyway. Leone looked at Romeo, and after a moment’s silence, nodded at the marine with a smile.

Romeo returned the smile and followed Leone and the partisans to get the civilians to safety.

* * *

_Mickey_

_Materdei District_

_September 28 th, 194_3

The next day arrived. Mickey was accompanying a small group of partisans on their sabotage missions. Already they had cut various German communication lines throughout the district, silencing any outposts within from calling for reinforcements when they were later attacked.

Mickey and the partisans slowly walked through one of the streets, keeping their eyes peeled for enemy activity. It was rather quiet for now, which allowed Mickey to observe the buildings and other scenery around him.

“I gotta say, this city is beautiful,” he commented.

One of the partisans, Maria, chuckled. “You should’ve seen it before the Germans arrived.”

“You should have seen it before Mussolini rose to power,” another named Claudio added.

Mickey nodded. “Don’t worry. It’ll all be over soon.”

Maria smiled. “We’re glad to have you here, Private Mickey.”

Smirking, Mickey replied, “Please, just Mickey will do.”

Maria blushed and the group continued. Suddenly, they heard loud engines roaring. Mickey moved his hand and hissed, _“Cover, now!”_

The group braced against the nearby wall. Mickey glanced out and witnessed as a truck rolled past. He watched as it stopped on a bridge and soldiers began unloading equipment from it. His knowledge told him what it was.

“They’re rigging the bridge with explosives,” he said.

“What?” Maria asked. She moved over to Mickey’s position and watched; her eyes widened. “That’s the Ponte della Sanità. If the Germans destroy that then the city center is cut off.”

Mickey smirked. “Well lucky for us explosive ordinance just happens to be my specialty.”

“What’s your plan?” Claudio asked.

“Just give me some covering fire and I’ll disarm those explosives,” Mickey explained. “If for whatever reason you see me running, you’d best keep up.”

The partisans chuckled at Mickey’s humor. He observed the truck turn and leave the bridge, leaving the German engineers to work.

“Alright, I count ten. We’ll take ‘em out quick and I’ll get to disarming,” Mickey said.

The group eased out of the alley and advanced towards the bridge. They slowly raised their weapons and waited; one of the engineers noticed them.

“NOW!” Mickey yelled.

The group opened fire, catching the engineers off guard. Within moments they were dead in the street. Mickey ran over and his eyes widened at just how many explosives the Germans had set up.

“Holy shit,” he groaned. He unslung his bazooka and set it down. “Okay, this’ll take some time. Cover me.”

As Mickey got to work, the partisans took cover behind some of the barricades the Germans had set up. With their weapons at the ready, they waited.

Mickey had only just started disarming the first bomb when he heard gunfire. He looked and saw the partisans were fighting off several German soldiers that had reached their position.

One of the partisans fired a burst of his Beretta M38. “Keep firing!” he yelled. “Hold them off!”

The Germans tried to move up to get a better position, but the partisans were able to hold them off. Suddenly, a pair of German soldiers arrived with an MG-42. They set the gun up behind a small wall and began firing. Maria aimed her rifle and fired, hitting the gunner and his assistant. However, more Germans showed up.

A couple of the partisans were hit and the others ducked behind cover. “Mickey, how much longer?!” one of them yelled.

Mickey snipped another wire. “Hey, I’m trying here!” He moved to the next bomb. Just as Mickey disarmed the explosive he heard a loud engine roar.

One of the partisans yelled, “Half-track!”

Mickey’s eyes widened and he turned to see a half-track slowly rolling down the street towards them. Its MG opened fire, pinning the partisans behind their cover.

Maria ran and ducked behind the cover Mickey was next to. “They’re gonna overwhelm us!” he shouted.

“Not unless we knock out that half-track!” Maria yelled.

Mickey looked as Maria grabbed his bazooka and hefted it onto her shoulder, kneeling and aiming it at the APC.

“HOLY SHIT!” Mickey exclaimed as he ducked before Maria fired. The backblast shot over his back as the rocket sailed downrange. The rocket nailed the front of the half-track, penetrating through the armor and exploding. The soldiers around it were engulfed in flames, the MG gunner spilling from his position and falling over the side.

Mickey’s eyes widened as he looked up at Maria. _“Holy shit,”_ he wheezed.

Maria smiled as she handed the bazooka back to Mickey. “How was that?”

Looking back at the burning wreck of the half-track, Mickey replied, “Not bad. A warning would’ve been nice though.” Mickey turned around and disarmed the last explosive. “Okay, that’s all of them.”

Nodding, Maria said, “Good job, but I feel that these explosives are going to waste.”

“Oh?” Mickey asked.

Maria nodded again. “Well, I happen to know where one of the Germans’ armor motorpools are located.”

Mickey smiled as realization dawned on him. “And you think that will be a good place to take these?”

“Yes,” Maria answered.

Mickey chuckled. “Well then, lead the way.”

Maria nodded and turned to the other partisans. “You, gather up these explosives.”

The partisans nodded and each one grabbed an explosive. Mickey picked up the last one and followed Maria off the bridge. They passed the dead Germans and the burning half-track before continuing down the street. Maria cut them through another alleyway and a few minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

The group found themselves next to a medium-sized open space. The space was occupied by two Panzer IIIs and one Panzer IV tank, four half-track APCs, and four trucks with Flak 38 AA guns mounted to the back. All of them were guarded by about twenty German soldiers

“Damn,” Mickey commented. “Lotta firepower here.”

“Indeed,” Maria said. “If we can destroy them, the Germans will be crippled in this district.”

Mickey nodded. “Okay, here’s the plan: I’ll fire off a rocket at one of the trucks. Through their disorientation, we’ll rush and attack them. Maria, since you were so gung-ho to fire my bazooka, how about you help me set up the explosives?”

Maria grinned. “I would love to.”

Mickey chuckled as he signaled the other partisans. “Alright, let’s move up.” He unslung his bazooka and aimed, lining up one of the AA trucks in his sights.

“Clear the back,” Mickey said. He waited a few seconds before pulling the trigger. The rocket sailed from the launcher and struck the truck. The German soldiers ducked from the ensuing explosion.

Mickey dropped his launcher and readied his Carbine. “Let’s move!” he yelled.

The partisans set their explosives down and shouted as they readied their weapons to rush the motorpool. Gunfire rang out as the Germans recovered and opened fire on the partisans. Mickey dropped behind one of the Panzers and raised his rifle to open fire.

Maria shouted as she cocked her Beretta M38. _“Figli di puttana! Morirete tutti!”_ She opened fire, gunning down several German soldiers. Mickey and the other partisans made short work of the rest of the motorpool.

“Good work,” Maria commended. “Get those explosives.”

Mickey watched as the partisans headed back to the alleyway where they left the explosives. He looked at the carnage around him and commended, “Not bad, Maria.”

“Thank you, Mickey,” Maria said. Mickey looked behind her to see a German sitting up, aiming his pistol.

“Look out!” Mickey yelled. He shoved Maria out of the way and quickly shot the German clean through his forehead before he had a chance to shoot. He turned and saw Maria on the ground.

“You alright?” he asked.

Maria nodded. “Yes.” She looked at the German soldier and said, “ _Grazie_ , Mickey.”

Mickey watched as the partisans arrived with the explosives. “Okay, go ahead and head out. I’ve gotta jerry-rig these explosives.”

The partisans gathered their weapons and headed to the entrance of the motorpool to guard it. Mickey knelt and began rearming the explosives, using some space wire in his pocket to rig up simple fuses.

“Would you like a hand?”

Mickey looked behind him and saw Maria standing near him. She smiled as she knelt next to him.

“Uhh…” Mickey trailed off and replied, “Sure.” He began rearming one of the bombs and when he finished he looked at Maria; his eyes widened when he saw Maria perfectly jerry-rigged the bomb.

“Holy shit,” Mickey commented.

Maria laughed. “What? I have some experience.”

Mickey smirked and chuckled as they rearmed the other explosives. Finally, Mickey finished the last one.

“Alright, let’s get ‘em setup,” he said. “Twist these two wires together and that’ll start the timer.”

Maria nodded and took one of the bombs and set it beneath one of the trucks. The pair placed the bombs all over under the vehicles, setting the last ones beneath the Panzer IV.

“Alright, let’s clear! Mickey said loudly.

The pair ran out of the motorpool and headed to the alleyway. Thirty seconds passed and one of the trucks exploded, followed by a second and third. Another minute passed and the two half-tracks exploded.

Finally, the explosives detonated beneath the Panzers, burning holes through the bottom armor and permanently disabling them. Within minutes, the entire motorpool was burning.

Mickey smiled as he observed the burning vehicles. He turned as Maria stood by his side and looked at him, a wide smile on her face.

“Have fun?” Maria asked.

Mickey laughed. “Blowing these German assholes to Hell? Absolutely.”

Maria smiled. “Well, some of our scouts have found a German refueling station. Would you like to do something about it?”

Mickey’s eyes widened. “I think I’m in love.”

Maria laughed again before gently touching Mickey’s face. “ _Sei divertente_ , Mickey.” She turned and rejoined the partisans as they headed back into the alleyway. Mickey turned back and smiled as the fire grew.

“I fuckin’ love Naples!”


	9. Four Days of Naples (Pt.2)

_Dutch_

_Avvocata District_

_September 29 th, 1943_

The third day of the uprising came and Naples was in complete chaos. Civilians continued their riots against the occupiers, partisans ambushed patrols and storehouses, and the German Oberkommando building was now being attacked daily.

Dutch was accompanying a group of partisans on a raid of one of the German weapon storehouses in the Avvocata District. He was on point, his BAR at the ready for any enemies.

The partisan leading the raid, Luca, walked alongside Dutch and said, “So, ‘Dutch’, that’s a rather interesting name. How’d you get it?”

Dutch chuckled. “It obviously isn’t my real name, just the callsign given to me by my squad.”

“Well, how did they come to ‘Dutch’?” Luca asked.

“I mentioned during my initiation to the squad that my family emigrated from the Netherlands, and lo, they call me Dutch,” he explained. “Even though I myself am practically one-sixteenth Dutch. I know ‘taart’ is ‘cake’, and that’s all.”

Luca chuckled but stopped when he looked ahead. He held his hand up to stop the group of partisans and they knelt. Luca pointed in front of them.

“There’s our mark,” he said.

Dutch looked and saw what Luca pointed to: at the other end of the square as a small building with a sign above that read **Waffenspeicher**.

“That the Kraut’s armory?” Dutch asked.

“For this particular district, yes,” Luca answered. “And it is completely defenseless.”

Dutch smirked. “Well then, let’s go.”

Hefting his BAR, Dutch led the group out of the alley and towards the storehouse. Two partisans approached the door with their weapons. They blasted at the locked handles and kicked it in. the group headed inside, where Dutch could see weapons lined along the sides.

“Perfect,” Luca commented. He turned to his men and ordered, “Gather up what you can.”

“I’ll keep watch,” Dutch said. He walked back outside, BAR at the ready. It was quiet for a few minutes, and he thought that this mission would go without a shot. Suddenly, he could hear the shouts of Germans in the distance.

“Luca, we’re about to have company!” Dutch called out.

Luca ran out and spat. “Damn. Okay, my men will help you holdout.”

Dutch nodded and readied his BAR. Within moments, the first German soldiers appeared. Dutch opened fire, gunning down the Germans as they ran in. The rest took cover and opened fire on the partisans.

A few of the partisans were hit and Dutch ran to cover. He unfolded his BAR’s bipod, killing more Germans. Within moments, the German soldiers were all killed, leaving the partisans victorious.

Dutch laughed as he released his empty mag. “Good work, boys!” he commended.

Suddenly, a partisan ran from an adjacent alley and headed to the group. “Luca, our forces are being overwhelmed by the Germans at the Giuseppe Mazzini Square.”

“Overwhelmed how?” Luca asked.

“They’re facing tanks,” he replied.

Luca’s eyes widened. _“Merda,”_ he said.

Dutch looked into the weapons storage and smirked. “These look like they’ll do.” He walked in and opened one of the crates, revealing four Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons.

“These’ll take care of ‘em,” Dutch said.

Luca smirked. “Good.” Two partisans, Adelfo and Rocco, grabbed the crate while Luca turned to the other partisan and said, “Lead the way.”

The partisan nodded and ran, leading the men down the alleyway. Dutch reloaded his BAR as he heard two loud bangs.

“Come on!” Luca yelled. “Our comrades are running out of time!”

The group exited from the alley, where they found the partisans pinned down by several dozen German soldiers and three Panzer IV tanks.

“Damn,” Dutch said. He turned to Luca and said, “Luca, you draw the Krauts’ fire.” He turned to the other partisans and said, “You two, follow me to higher ground and we’ll bust those tanks open.”

Luca nodded. _“Buona fortuna amico mio,”_ he said before leaving with his partisans. They opened fire on the Germans, grabbing the attention of the infantry (and the armor).

“Okay, let’s move,” Dutch said. The two partisans followed Dutch into a nearby building. They ran up the stairs and onto the roof, overlooking the skirmish between the Germans and the partisans.

Dutch set down his BAR and the partisans put the crate down. Grabbing, one of the Panzerfausts, Dutch tucked the tubular weapon under his shoulder.

“Okay, flip up sight and disengage safety…” Dutch said himself as he flipped up the simple leaf sight. “…acquire target…” He lined up one of the Panzers. “…and squeeze.”

Dutch squeezed the pedal on top of the tube and he became enveloped in a cloud of smoke as the warhead shot out and nailed the Panzer. It burned through the tank’s side armor, and when it hit the ammo storage inside, the tank exploded.

“Holy shit!” Dutch exclaimed.

The German soldiers around the tank were engulfed in flames. Immediately, the other tanks’ guns began shifting towards them.

Dutch threw down the tube and said, “Another.”

The partisan lifted and handed Dutch another Panzerfaust. He flipped up the sights and zeroed in before squeezing the trigger. The warhead nailed the top of the rear armor, disabling the tank.

The last Panzer’s gun aimed at the rooftop and fired. The round blew through Adelfo, spraying blood over Dutch and Rocco.

“Fuck!” Rocco yelled.

“Get down!” Dutch exclaimed. He and Rocco ducked as they grabbed the last two Panzerfausts. They ran along the roof as the tank gun followed; the gunfire from the coaxial MG followed them. The main gun fired again, blowing a hole in the top floor of the building.

Dutch and Rocco ducked behind the edge of the roof. Rocco stood to try and fired his Panzerfaust, but the MG ripped through him. His dead body fell back.

“Shit!” Dutch exclaimed. Knowing the gun was still on him, Dutch stayed low and moved to a new position. The tank fired, hitting the spot where Dutch had been.

Hefting the Panzerfaust, Dutch stood and aimed. The tank gun tried to reacquire Dutch, but they were too slow. He fired, hitting the front turret armor. The ensuing explosion blew the turret clean off the tank.

“Hell yeah!” Dutch shouted. He sighed as he walked back along the roof, paying his respects to Rocco and Adelfo. He grabbed his BAR and headed back down to the main square. The partisans had taken care of the rest of the German soldiers. Luca spotted him approaching at the two clasped hands.

“Lost Rocco and Adelfo,” Dutch said.

Luca sighed. “Dammit.” He looked around at the bodies on the ground; it was a mix of German soldiers and partisans. “We will mourn them later; once the Germans are either dead or gone.”

Dutch nodded and said, “We’d better move. Reinforcements will be here.”

Luca turned to his remaining men and waved his hand. The men cleared out of the square and headed back into hiding.

* * *

_Alpha-Nine_

_Chiaia District_

_September 30 th, 1943_

The fourth day of the riots in Naples had reached the tipping point. As Anglo-American forces approached from Salerno and Foggia, the Germans were now evacuating in larger numbers. However, they weren’t leaving without leaving their mark on the city. Fires were started, historical sites were destroyed, and massacres were indiscriminately carried out upon the population.

Buck and the rest of Alpha-Nine were now patrolling through the streets on sweeps of the city. The area was mostly quiet, save for the occasional outburst of gunfire and shouts before silence took over in other parts of the city.

Delaney walked alongside Buck and asked, “So Gunny, what’s on the itinerary today?”

Buck smirked as he checked his Thompson. “Kraut Hunting, Rookie. We’re keeping on the lookout for any Germans that are taking their sweet time leaving the city, and making sure they _never_ leave.”

The rest of the marines chuckled as they continued down the street. They passed by a small café, where Mickey spotted a half-full wine bottle sitting on an abandoned table.

“Oho,” he said with a laugh. “Don’t mind if I do.” He slung his Carbine and grabbed the bottle.

“Really?” Dutch asked. “Drinking on the job?”

Mickey smirked as he popped the cork. “Hey, we’re marines, right?” He tilted his head back and took a swig.

“At least share,” Buck said.

Mickey laughed as he handed Buck the bottle. He drank and the bottle was passed between the rest of the squad. They walked into another square when they suddenly heard muffled German voices.

Buck stopped and directed his squad to form up. The marines fell in behind Buck as they approached the source of the noise–a small shack nestled between two buildings. Buck stood next to the door; he could hear the Germans behind it, as well as clicking and other noises.

Buck waved for Dutch to approach and the marine stood next to the door. Buck placed his finger to his lips for silence before he knocked three times. The voices inside stopped and one asked, _“Wer ist es?”_

Buck thought for a moment and replied, _“Freund?”_

The voice inside said, _“Komm herin.”_

Buck smirked as he readied his Thompson. He looked to Dutch and whispered, _“Smoke ‘em.”_

Dutch hefted his BAR and the pair unloaded into the wooden door. Over the gunfire, they could hear the screams of Germans on the other side. Within moments, both marines emptied their guns, and there was silence inside.

Dutch kicked the door open, revealing a small communications room. On the floor were five dead Germans, and one slowly trying to get to his feet before succumbing to his wounds. The marines entered and looked around.

Delaney whistled. “You’d think the Krauts would clear out rather than stay.”

Buck nodded and replied, “Yeah, well, the Germans aren’t exactly known for their intelligence.”

Romeo walked to the main radio, where the operator was slumped over. He pushed him out of his chair, which is when he noticed the paper on the table. He lifted it and immediately showed Buck.

“Hey Gunny, check this out,” he said.

Buck grabbed it and immediately rolled his eyes. “Romeo, I know three to four words of German _max._ I don’t know what the fuck this says.”

“Look at it though,” Romeo pointed out. “These look like coordinates.”

Buck looked at the paper again as they headed out. “These are coordinates.”

“What for?” Mickey asked.

That question was answered when several loud bangs went off in the distance. Moments later, the front of one of the buildings across from the squad exploded, sending debris everywhere.

“FUCK!” Dutch yelled. “Artillery has this area zeroed!”

“Book it, marines!” Buck shouted.

The squad managed to leave the square as more artillery shells continued to rain down on their position. The tops of buildings exploded, raining flaming wood and other debris down on them.

“Gunny, up ahead!” Delaney yelled.

Buck looked and noticed a small cavern beneath a bridge. “Hurry it up!” he yelled to the men behind him. The squad reached the cover as the artillery continued its bombardment.

After a few minutes, the guns ceased and it was quiet once more. Buck walked out, the others following.

“Jesus,” Buck sighed as he observed the destruction. “Fuckin’ bastards.”

Delaney walked next to him and said, “Friendly forces aren’t due to arrive until tomorrow. Naples will be rubble by then.”

Dutch nodded. “Rookie’s right. We need to take out those guns.”

Mickey stepped forward. “Whaddya say, Gunny? One last punch in the gut for the Krauts before Naples is liberated?”

Buck smiled and turned to his squad “Agreed,” he said. He looked to Romeo and asked, “You still have that paper with the coordinates on it?”

Romeo nodded and handed the paper to Buck. He read through it and said, “Okay, if I’m interpreting this correctly, the guns are about a mile northwest of us. Krauts probably have radio stations set up all over to give coordinates before evacuating.”

“Well,” Romeo said as he rotated his Springfield bolt “what are we waiting for?”

Buck crumpled and threw the paper. “Okay marines, let’s move!”

The squad hustled through the debris-filled streets in the direction of the guns. As they ran they’d hear the bangs of the artillery, but the booms of their impact would be distant.

“Come on, we don’t have much time,” Buck said.

The squad double-timed it out of the streets. After nearly ten minutes (and another barrage), the marines made it to a large clearing. At the end of the space were three 105mm guns, surrounded by several German soldiers.

Delaney grabbed his binoculars and surveyed the area. “I count twenty, plus ten guarding the perimeter,” he said.

“We’ll need to get the spring on these bastards,” Dutch said.

Buck looked ahead and noticed the radio the Germans had set up. The operator put his headphones back on and listened before saying his reply back into the microphone. He said something to the gun crews and they immediately began shifting them.

“Too late, they’re shifting,” Buck said as he got up and readied his Thompson. “Move!”

The marines readied their weapons and joined Buck. They opened fire on the enemies, killing a few of the guards. The crews ducked behind the guns, and they suddenly began to shift towards them.

Buck’s eyes widened. “FUCKING SCATTER!”

The marines spread themselves out and kept running just as one of the guns leveled out. It fired, sending its shell barely past Dutch and Romeo. The two other guns began shifting as well.

“Hit those fucking crews!” Dutch shouted.

The marines opened fire, killing the other soldiers around the guns while the crews remained protected behind them. The second gun was about to level out on them.

“Rookie, get a grenade over there!” Buck ordered.

Delaney unclipped a grenade from his chest and pulled the pin, hefting it long and landing it behind one of the guns. Within moments it went off, the explosion and fragmentation killing the crew. Mickey grabbed and threw a second, killing the crew of the second gun.

After a couple more were killed, the German soldiers threw down their weapons and raised their hands. They shouted at the marines as the crew exited from behind the gun.

Buck quickly raised his hand and yelled, “Cease fire! Hold off!”

The marines quickly stopped shooting but kept their sights lined up on the remaining German soldiers. They reached the guns, where Buck trained his Thompson on them.

“Okay, any one of you assholes speak English?” he asked.

One stepped forward and replied, “Little…bit.”

Buck nodded. “Tell your friends to line the fuck up and not do anything stupid. My boys have got itchy trigger fingers.”

The German gulped and turned to the men. He relayed what Buck had said and they exited from behind the guns, lining up in front of the marines.

Buck smirked. “Squad, form up around them and follow me. We’ll take ‘em to Leone.”

Delaney nodded and headed to the rear of the line. “Alright Fritz, let’s move. Don’t slow us down.”

“Come on, let’s go!” Romeo harshly spat as he shoved the German at the back of the line.

“Okay, easy there, tiger,” Buck said. “Let’s move, boys.”

The squad led the line of prisoners back from the guns and towards Leone’s hideout. As they approached, they found civilians, partisans, and Italian soldiers openly cheering in the streets. The marines waved at them as they walked.

They finally made it to a large square, where they found Leone and several other resistance leaders conversing. He turned and smiled when he saw Buck and the others arrive. He opened his arms and laughed.

“My friends!” he yelled. “I’m glad you brought us more friends!” He waved his hand and a few of his men took the German soldiers away. Leone approached Buck.

“My friend, I asked you to help us, and you and your men delivered and more,” he commended. “I, my people, and Naples thank you.”

Buck smiled as he grasped and shook Leone’s hand. “Anything that involves kicking Kraut ass, my boys and I are more than happy to help anyone.”

Leone smiled and waved his hand. One of his partisans walked up with a small box. He opened it, revealing five 6.5mm Carcano bullets with ribbons attached to them and _“Per l'Italia”_ etched into them.

The partisan presented the box to Leone and he removed the bullets. “These ‘medals’ signify you as friends of the resistance, men who are willing to fight tyranny and oppression.”

Leone pinned the bullet medals to the chests of each marine. Leone pinned the last one to Dutch before walking back in front of the squad and turning to the crowd that gathered.

_“Napoli è stata liberata!”_

* * *

By 9:30 am the next morning, Allied forces had finally arrived in Naples. The British 1st King’s Dragoon Guards arrived first and the Royal Scots Greys reinforced by the US 82nd Airborne followed suit. Already efforts were being made to help the civilian population.

Buck and the rest of Alpha-Nine were walking down the street, passing by more British and American soldiers as they made their way to the trucks at the city entrance.

“Hell of a week, boys,” Romeo commented.

Buck laughed. “You could say that again. Goddamn, I could use some shuteye where I don’t have fuckin’ artillery waking me up every hour.”

“I’m definitely gonna miss the food though,” Dutch said. “The cooks in a dingy underground room can make better grub than what we get at the mess tent.”

“Yeah, I can tell you’ll miss it,” Delaney commented as he patted Dutch’s stomach.

The squad laughed as they reached one of the trucks. Buck climbed on first and helped Romeo and Dutch in.

“Mickey!”

The squad turned and saw a woman hurrying towards the men. They looked down at Mickey, who was walking towards her.

“Good morning, Maria,” Mickey greeted.

Maria pouted a little and asked, “Are you leaving already?”

Mickey sighed. “I am. I have places to go, people to meet…” He trailed off and smiled at her. “…Germans to blow up.”

Maria giggled. “I won’t forget what you’ve done for us.”

Mickey waved his hand. “Ah, it was nothing.”

Smiling, Maria placed her hands along Mickey’s face. “Well, in thanks…” She placed a kiss on Mickey’s left cheek. “That one is from the resistance,” She kissed his right cheek. “That one is from the city,” She then leaned forward and pressed her lips to Mickey’s. She pulled away and smiled.

“And that one is from me.”

Mickey’s eyes were blown from his sockets as Maria tickled his chin. _“Arrivederci, Mickey,”_ she said sweetly before turning to leave. Slowly, Mickey turned to see his squad howling with laughter.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Delaney exclaimed.

Mickey joined in on their laughter and immediately yelled, _“Amo Napoli!”_

Buck shook his head and said, “Okay, let’s get him out of here. Too much Naples for this man.”

Mickey was hauled into the back of the truck and sat down, laughing along with his squad at what just occurred. The truck started up and slowly pulled away, heading through the gates to take the marines back to Salerno.


	10. Dare-ing Rescue

_Caserta, Italy_

_November 1 st, 1943_

After the liberation of Naples, the Allies had figured the campaign would go into full force. However, just the opposite had happened. The Germans extensively reinforced the defensive lines that cut through central Italy, and breaking through the first–the Volturno Line–took Allied forces an entire month.

Another matter was the weather was starting to get colder. While it wasn’t snowing yet, the rain that would come would freeze up vehicles and other equipment. This, coupled with the Germans’ tough defensive holdouts, turned the quick Allied advance into a sluggish stalemate.

Delaney and Mickey were a couple miles outside of Caserta, a city liberated by the Allies a few weeks previously. The two marines were setting up charges along a section of Dragon’s Teeth–German anti-tank defenses. Delaney shivered as a gust of wind blew over.

“Hey Mickey,” Delaney said as he set up another charge. “You cold?”

Mickey sighed as he finished wiring one of the charges and fixed Mickey with a glare. “Fuck yes, I am.” He walked over to the charge Delaney had set up and began wiring it. He grumbled, _“Fuckin’ Germans and their fuckin’ Dragon’s Teeth and their fuckin’ defensive lines.”_

Wrapping the wire around the charge, Mickey let out a frustrated sigh and said, “And whenever we break through one of their lines, what do they do? They jump behind the next.”

“And the next,” Delaney said. “And the next, and the next.”

Mickey nodded. “Yeah. I tell ya, this campaign went to shit fairly fuckin’ fast.”

The pair walked back to the Jeep and grabbed more charges and wiring. “I know,” Delaney said. “When we first got here it was knocking the Germans down left and right. Now? We’re lucky to gain a couple miles with each advance.”

“Yeah,” Mickey replied as he set up another charge. “Shit had better change up quick or I might lose it.”

Delaney smirked. “At least there’s shit to blow up.”

“At least there’s shit to blow up,” Mickey repeated.

The pair set up the remaining charges. Eventually, Delaney clapped his hands together and said, "Okay Mickey, that’s the last one.”

“Alright, get to a safe distance and I’ll finish wiring them up,” Mickey said.

Delaney nodded and headed back to the Jeep, where they had the detonating plunger. He stood by while Mickey finished wiring the charges before unraveling a spool towards the plunger. He made it to Delaney and wrapped the wire ends around the connectors on the detonator.

“Okay, going loud,” Mickey said as he slowly pulled the plunger up. “Cover your ears.”

Delaney barely managed to cover his ears when Mickey pushed the plunger down. A split-second later, the charges exploded, enveloping the area in a massive fireball and smoke cloud, sending bits of concrete and debris everywhere.

The marines waited for the dust to settle to check their work. Eventually, the smoke cleared away, revealing several of the teeth had been blown to pieces, creating a hole large enough for friendly armor to get through.

“Hoorah!” Mickey yelled. “That’s what I’m talking about!”

The marines cheered and high-fived. “Great. Let’s report back, tell ‘em Sector F is clear for armor to move through,” Delaney said. The two climbed back into the Jeep, Mickey starting it up and driving them away.

A few minutes later, they arrived back in Caserta. The soldiers at the city gates allowed them in and Mickey drove them through the city towards the main HQ area. He stopped the Jeep and the two climbed out. They approached the command tent, where they found Colonel Hood looking over a map of the defensive lines that lied before Rome.

“Colonel Hood, sir,” Mickey said as he and Delaney saluted.

Hood returned the salute. “Gentlemen, your report?”

“Anti-tank obstacles in Sector F have been cleared,” Delaney said. “Armor is free to move through.”

Hood nodded. “Thank you, gentlemen.” The marines saluted again, but before they could walk out, Hood said, “If you see Gunny, send him here.”

“Yes, sir,” Delaney said. He and Mickey exited the tent to head to their barracks. They looked ahead and saw Buck walking in their direction.

“Hey Gunny, Hood wants you,” Mickey reported.

“Thanks, Mickey,” he replied. Buck walked past and headed to the command tent. He cleared his throat and Hood turned around. The two saluted each other.

“Gunny,” Hood greeted.

“Colonel, sir,” Buck replied. “My men have informed me you needed something.”

Hood nodded. “Yes.” He walked to the corner and grabbed a piece of paper. “This came directly from the top. You know the OSS?”

Buck nodded. “Office of Strategic Services,” he answered. “They’re mainly a spy organization.”

“They do a little more but that’s the gist of it,” Hood said. He held up the letter and said, “This came from their top men. One of their agents hasn’t reported for some time. They fear he’s been captured.”

Buck tsked. “Sounds rough.”

“This agent had been working in Italy for close to a year, collaborating with resistance cells, sabotage, information gathering, as well as a few assassinations. He’s one of the agency’s most valuable assets,” Hood explained.

“And let me guess,” Buck said, realization dawning on him, “you want my squad and I to find and rescue the poor guy?”

Hood nodded. “Indeed.”

Buck shrugged. “Very well.” He looked down at the map and asked, “Any idea where the hell he is?”

Hood looked down at the map. “We’re not exactly sure. His last known location was here.”

Buck looked at the spot Hood had pointed at; Buck noticed where it was.

“Goddamn,” he said. “That’s pretty damn close to the Barbara Line.”

“I know, but it’s the best I can give you,” Hood said.

Buck sighed and nodded. “Very well. I’ll get the squad ready.”

“Thank you, Gunny,” Hood said. The two saluted and Buck exited the tent. He walked through the HQ and eventually approached the squad’s area. He saw Mickey tinkering with his bazooka, Romeo loading rounds into stripper clips, Dutch reading something, and Delaney sleeping.

“On your feet, marines!” Buck yelled. “Alpha-Nine is moving out!” Delaney grumbled as he was awoken but nonetheless rose along with the others.

“What’s the occasion, Gunny?” Dutch asked.

“A real special job, boys,” Buck replied as he began gathering his gear. “An OSS agent operating here in Italy has been presumed captured by enemy forces, and we’ve been selected to rescue him.”

“Sounds like fun,” Delaney commented as he grabbed his Garand.

“Yeah, well, this ain’t gonna be a picnic,” Buck said. “Hood’s letter said that the agent was last known to be in an area near the Barbara Line.”

Predictably, the squad groaned; Buck rolled his eyes. “Oh, Jesus Christ, stop moaning and get your gear ready.”

The marines continued readying their weapons and gathering ammunition. Mickey slung his bazooka around his shoulder, but Buck stopped him.

“No bazooka today, Mickey,” he said.

“Aww,” Mickey replied in disappointment as he set the launcher down.

“And what if we run into enemy armor?” Romeo asked.

Buck inserted a mag into his Thompson. “Hope they’re in a good mood.” As the squad finished readying up he said, “Mickey, you’re on point, Dutch you’re covering our rear. Let’s move.”

The squad formed up and walked out of their area, making their way through the HQ and to the city exit. They waved to the soldiers at the gates before heading out, making their way into the countryside.

* * *

Alpha-Nine had been walking for close to three hours now. They would stop now and then for a few minutes to rest up before continuing. Based on Buck’s maps, they still hadn’t reached the Barbara Line, and thus haven’t encountered any enemy forces…yet.

Mickey continued to walk at the front of the squad, his Carbine lowered but still ready to fight. His facial expressions showed him deep in thought; he then would move his head and open his mouth, as if to say something, but he would close it and look back ahead. Eventually, he finally spoke.

“Hey Gunny,” he finally said, “permission to speak freely?”

Buck’s eyes widened as he looked up from the map. “Holy shit. Mickey, in the time I have known you, you have _never_ asked permission to speak freely; you typically just start talking, so I can only imagine the wisdom that’s about to come out.” He smirked and added, “Permission granted.”

Mickey paused for a moment to try and get his bearings before talking. As he walked he sighed. “Well Gunny, I’ve been thinking.”

“That’s dangerous,” Romeo commented.

Ignoring him, Mickey said, “I’ve just been thinking about this mission, is all.”

“Oh?” Buck asked. “Care to share it with the squad?”

Mickey nodded. “Yeah. This mission doesn’t make a whole lotta sense. I mean, why send a squad of highly-trained, specialized marines behind enemy lines to save one guy?”

Buck looked at Mickey in confusion. “Uh, Mickey, have you forgotten what it is we’re doing here? Undertaking dangerous missions is the sole reason this squad exists.”

“I’m aware of that, Gunny,” Mickey replied. “However, the dangerous missions we normally go on are all vital to this campaign and the war in general. Rescuing POWs is one thing, rescuing some secret agent is another. So, mind telling me why we’re doing this?”

Buck glanced around at the squad. “Anybody want to answer that?”

Dutch chimed in. “Mickey, think about the poor SOB’s family. I mean, if he’s an OSS agent I’m fairly certain he can’t just send letters home telling where he is or how he’s doing. His family probably has no idea where he is.”

“Dutch, I’ve got a family,” Mickey pointed out. “You’ve all got families also. How do you think they’d feel if they knew that we were being sent on a mission like this?”

In the middle of the formation, Delaney shrugged. “It’s not our place to care, but to do.”

“Yadda yadda,” came Romeo’s snarky remark. “The fuck does that mean, Rookie? What, we just ignore what our orders are and do ‘em like we have no brain?”

“Rookie is merely pointing out what is to be expected of us soldiers,” Buck said. He checked the map again and added, “It’s our duty to carry out the orders given to us and to not care for the reasons why.”

“Even if the orders are completely fucked?” Mickey asked.

Buck nodded. “Especially if the orders are completely fucked.”

There was a brief silence when Romeo spoke. “You know Gunny, Mickey’s got a point, It does seem like overkill sending us after this one guy.”

“Would you rather it be just you saving him?” Buck asked.

“No, but it would make a lot more sense,” Romeo answered. “Now, I didn’t exactly do so well in my high school math classes-”

“That’s a shocker,” Delaney commented.

The squad laughed. “Shove it, kid,” Romeo bit back. “Anyway, as I was explaining, I’m no mathematician, but I can certainly say that five does not equal one.”

Buck smirked. “Well Romeo, luckily for you _I_ passed my math classes with flying colors, and can confirm that five does indeed not equal one.” He checked the map and compass again and said, “Shift fifteen degrees east.”

The squad shifted their heading and Buck said, “However, in this specific context, I say that five _does_ equal one.”

Romeo’s eyes widened. “Oh, please explain, Professor Gunny.”

Buck nodded. “Of course.” He looked ahead and asked, “Mickey, how would you describe this squad?”

Mickey chuckled and replied, “Five assholes stumbling their way through this war.”

The squad laughed again, Buck included. “Your answer is both right and wrong, Mickey.”

“What, are we not assholes?” Dutch asked.

“No, we are,” Buck answered. “However, I have a problem with how you described us; you said _five_ assholes, not one.”

“What are you talking about?” Mickey asked.

“Simple,” Buck replied. “I don’t think of this squad as five individual assholes, but rather one asshole; one asshole with various skills and characteristics that make it unique. Each one of you represents those skills that make the squad whole.”

Delaney looked at Buck. “And thus five equals one?”

Buck smirked and nodded. “Five equals one.”

Romeo shook his head. “Mister Evans never taught me that.”

Buck checked the map again. “We’re about halfway there. Keep your eyes peeled; no telling what we’ll encounter as we get closer to the Line.”

The squad continued through the countryside, passing by cottages and farms. They checked the buildings, but they found them abandoned.

Night had fallen, and Buck used the light of the moon to lead his squad through the darkness. Finally, he stopped them and looked at the map.

“Okay, according to the map, the village the OSS agent is being held in is just over that hill,” he explained.

Dutch groaned. “Thank God. My feet are killing me.”

“You need a massage, old man?” Mickey asked.

“Yeah Mickey, how ‘bout you rub ‘em,” Dutch replied.

The squad chuckled as they advanced up the hill. Buck turned his head and lowered his hand. The marines readied their weapons as they slowly moved up. Within moments, they made it to the top. Lying below them was a small village. Immediately they found German soldiers and guns at the main entrance.

 _“Holy shit,”_ Delaney whispered.

 _“That’s a lot of force for such a small area,”_ Mickey pointed out.

Buck nodded. _“Which means they must be protecting something.”_ He waved his hand and said, _“Romeo, eyes on.”_

Romeo brought up his Springfield and looked down the scope. _“I’m seeing searchlights and patrols through the streets. Not seeing anywhere our OSS friend could be.”_

Mickey crawled up and asked, _“What’s the plan, Gunny?”_

Buck surveyed the area. _“Looks like there aren’t any guards on the west side. We’ll swing left and enter through there. Once inside the village, we’ll need to be quiet and unseen. If the Krauts catch wind of us then our OSS friend is as good as dead.”_

 _“Then that means we can go back early?”_ Romeo asked.

 _“Shove it, Romeo!”_ Buck hissed. He turned and waved his hand. _“Fall in.”_

The squad formed behind Buck and they moved along the hill. Once they were out of sight of the main entryway, they moved down the hill, the darkness and their slow movement keeping them well-hidden.

They reached the edge of the village, carefully stalking along the alleyway. Buck held up a clenched fist and the marines stopped. A searchlight slowly swept over the street before disappearing.

 _“Move!”_ Buck hissed with a wave of his hand. The marines hustled from their cover across the street to the next alley. The marines continued down but stopped when Buck heard German voices.

 _“Kraut patrol,”_ he whispered. _“Let ‘em pass.”_

The squad watched as a patrol of about three German soldiers slowly walked into view, casually talking with one another. Suddenly, they stopped in the middle of the street and one of them withdrew a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Buck rolled his eyes. _“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.”_ As he watched the Germans take a smoke break, he turned to the squad and said, _“Rookie, Mickey, on me. Knives out.”_

The three men slung their weapons and unsheathed their knives. They slowly walked to the edge of the alley, where Buck held up three fingers; he counted each one down before closing his hand.

With lightning speed, the marines rushed from the alley and overpowered the Germans, wrapping their arms over their mouths as they stabbed their knives into the Germans’ necks. They let out muffled screams but their movements slowed before stopping.

“Get ‘em out of sight,” Buck ordered. As they dragged the bodies to the next alleyway Dutch and Romeo joined them. They moved up along the narrow street, stopping or bracing against cover whenever they heard more patrols.

Buck moved up next to the edge of a building and brought out his binoculars. _“We’re about two-hundred yards out from the building the OSS agent might be.”_

 _“Street ahead seems clear,”_ Delaney pointed out.

Nodding, Buck said, _“Okay, keep to the sides and we can get there unseen.”_

 _“Quiet as church mice,”_ Mickey said.

The squad moved out from their position, however, within moments they could hear German voices shouting some distance behind them.

 _“They may have found those bodies,”_ Dutch suggested.

 _“No, we’re good,”_ Buck said. _“Just keep moving.”_ A split-second after saying that, a piercing alarm rang throughout the village.

“So much for quiet as church mice!” Romeo said loudly.

Buck readied his Thompson. “Go loud!”

The marines unslung their weapons as Germans began pouring in from the opposite end of the street. The two groups immediately fired on each other.

Delaney fired off a couple rounds of his Garand. “Gunny, we’re too exposed!”

Buck fired a burst. “Agreed! Dutch, marching fire! Squad, form up behind him”

Dutch grinned as he readied his BAR. “Line up behind Papa, boys!”

The marines formed up behind Dutch as he began unloading his weapon on the Germans along the street. The rest of the squad fired from behind Dutch, hitting any enemies he (somehow) didn’t get.

Mickey reloaded his Carbine and looked ahead, spotting a building with several Nazi banners hanging from it.

“Gunny, does that seem like an important building?!” he yelled.

Buck reloaded his Thompson and looked ahead. He nodded and replied, “It sure as shit does! Move!”

The squad mopped up the last few enemies between them and the building. “Dutch, Rookie, get the door,” Buck ordered.

The two men nodded and approached the door. They nodded and grabbed the handles before opening it in together and entering with guns drawn. They walked into a small lobby, and it was abandoned.

“Clear!” Dutch yelled. The rest of the squad entered and looked around the lobby.

“Place must’ve been an inn,” Romeo commented.

Buck was about to comment when he heard more gunfire. The squad jumped and Buck threw the doors closed.

“Dutch, Romeo, Mickey, defensive positions!” Buck yelled. “Rookie, search this damn place top to bottom! Find that agent!”

“Yes, sir!” Delaney replied.

He ran out of the lobby and into the main office, then next to the kitchen, and after to the other rooms on the first floor. When he found nothing, he ran back into the lobby.

“First floor’s clear!” he yelled. “Moving up!”

“And hurry!” Romeo yelled as he fired a round.

Delaney ran up the stairs to the second floor. Immediately, one of the doors flew open and a German soldier tackled Delaney to the ground. He kicked the German off of him and put a round through his chest. He got to his feet and continued checking the rooms, but finding them all empty.

 _“If this fucker ain’t here, I’m gonna be pissed!”_ he growled. He ran up to the last door and kicked it in, and was instantly tackled by a German soldier.

Delaney tried to swing his Garand up but the German kicked it from his hands. The two punched and struck each other, but the German swung a hefty right hook, knocking Delaney to his back. The German unsheathed his bayonet and stabbed it down.

Delaney yelled as he caught the German’s hands, keeping the tip of the blade inches from his chest. The two growled as the German tried to press the blade closer and closer to the marine. Delaney tried to break free but the German had to tight a hold. He let go with one hand and punched Delaney across the face. This gave the German an opening, and he raised the bayonet to strike.

BANG

A bullet shot through the German’s head, and he slowly slumped down and on top of Delaney. The marines growled as he shoved the dead body off of him. He looked up and his eyes widened.

Standing above him was a beautiful woman. Her blonde hair was tied into a ponytail, and the simple clothes she wore would’ve passed her off as a normal civilian…

…if it weren’t for the Walther P38 in her hand.

Delaney smiled. “Well, this war just got a _whole_ lot better.” The woman shifted her aim back to him and he raised his hands.

“Whoa whoa, lady,” Delaney said. “Friendly here.”

“Who are you?” the woman asked, her voice sharp.

Delaney’s eyes widened at her tone of voice. “Private James Delaney, United States Marines.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“My squad and I were deployed to find an OSS agent that got themselves captured,” Delaney explained. He looked around the room. “The intel was way fucking off; he ain’t here.”

The woman lowered the Walther and smirked. “Your search is over; you found me.”

Delaney’s eyes widened. “You?” He looked around the room as if maybe the right person would appear. He turned back to the woman and said, “No way.”

The woman placed her hands on her hips. “Office of Strategic Services Agent. Codename: Dare.”

Delaney couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Suddenly, he heard Dutch’s voice yell, “Rookie, it’s all quiet down here! You find our OSS friend?!”

Delaney walked into the hall and replied, “Yeah, I found him alright!” He walked back into the room and said, “This is gonna be interesting. Follow me.”

Delaney and “Dare” exited the room and walked down the hall. They headed down the stairs, finding Dutch, Mickey, and Romeo were gathered in the lobby.

“There ya are,” Mickey said. “Glad you could-”

The three marines paused as they watched Dare walk down the stairs; they were obviously mesmerized by her looks.

“Whoa,” Romeo commented. “Why _hello_ , beautiful.”

Dutch nodded at her. “Civilian?” he asked.

Delaney shook his head. “No, this is-”

“Okay,” Buck said as he walked back into the lobby. “I think all the Krauts have been cleared from the village. Rookie, you find our-”

Buck stopped when his eyes fell upon Dare. Delaney chuckled as he turned to the woman, but it fell when he noticed her shocked expression.

“Buck?” she asked.

The marines looked to Gunny; how in the hell did she know his name.

Buck’s brow creased in shock and confusion.

“Veronica?”


	11. New Addition

“Buck?”

“Veronica?”

The rest of Alpha-Nine stared between Buck and, as they just learned, “Veronica”.

Delaney leaned over to Mickey. _“How does she know Gunny?”_ he whispered.

Mickey slowly shook his head. _“No fuckin’ clue.”_

Dutch looked at Veronica again. He leaned to the others and whispered, _“Wait a minute. She seems familiar.”_

Buck threw his arms up. “What in the hell are you doing here?!”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “I was in Milan when the Germans marched in to disarm the Italian Army. I was caught helping some officers form-”

“That’s not what I mean!” Buck angrily interrupted. “I mean what are you doing _here_?! In war-torn Europe?!”

Veronica looked back at him. “I enlisted with the Office of Strategic Services about two weeks after you left.”

“Two fucking weeks?” Buck asked. He stared at Veronica and asked, “And might I ask _why_?”

Veronica cocked an eyebrow. “What? I now need _your_ permission to do anything?”

Buck made a noise of indignation. “This wasn’t your attitude when I said I was joining up. You nearly chewed my ear off when I told you I was forming my squad.”

Romeo stepped forward. “Is anyone gonna explain what the hell is going on?” he asked.

Dutch’s eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. “Oh, I remember! Gunny, she’s the gal from your picture!”

Buck stared daggers at Dutch _. “Not now!”_ he hissed.

Suddenly, gunfire rang out in the streets in front of the inn. Buck slammed a fresh magazine into his Thompson. “Squad, defensive positions!” He nodded at Veronica and said, “We’ll deal with this later!”

The marines readied their weapons and took cover at the windows and the doorway. Delaney loaded a fresh clip into his Garand and opened fire; the other marines followed suit.

“Romeo, MG!” Buck yelled. “Second floor! Eleven o’clock!” Romeo shifted his rifle and sniped the MG gunner, ceasing its fire.

Dutch laid down a hail of fire upon a large group of Germans rushing down the street, putting them down instantly. Romeo, Mickey, and Delaney picked them off one-by-one, and Buck fired bursts from his Thompson.

Buck flinched when he heard gunshots next to him. He looked up and saw Veronica firing her P38, picking off a few Germans barely poking their heads above cover.

Within minutes, the streets were quiet once more. Buck lowered his Thompson and surveyed the streets. Turning to his squad, he said, “Alright, good work. Street’s clear.”

“Alright,” Romeo. He opened his bolt and began loading five more rounds. “So, what about _her_?”

Buck looked at Dare and sighed. “We’ve still got a job to do. We get her back to friendly lines and get her outta here.”

“Where exactly are we going?” Veronica asked.

“Back to our lines near Caserta, then you are back on a boat to the States,” Buck said.

Veronica cocked an eyebrow again. “And whose decision is that?”

“Mine,” Buck answered. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“Major General Donovan thought otherwise,” Veronica replied.

Before the two could get into another argument, Mickey stepped forward and said, “Hey, as much as I love seeing Gunny angry at someone else, we are currently about a piss away from about three-hundred-thousand Germans. I suggest we move.”

Buck nodded. “He’s right. Let’s get going; Allied assault against the line will come any minute now, and I do _not_ want to be in between our guys and the Krauts.”

Mickey reloaded his Carbine. “Gunny, I’ll take point again.”

Buck nodded. “Okay. Rookie, you’re covering our rear. Everyone else, form up.”

The squad formed back up and headed out of the inn. As they passed the dead Germans, Veronica picked up an MP40 and an ammunition pouch from one of the bodies.

“You know how to use that?” Romeo asked.

Veronica removed the magazine and checked it before inserting it back. She looked at Romeo and smirked.

“Why yes, soldier,” she replied. “Are you volunteering for a demonstration?”

“Please do!” Mickey called from the front.

“No shooting each other,” Buck said. “Only I can do that.”

The group made it out of the village and headed back into the countryside. Within hours the sun began rising, revealing the terrain to the group.

“Jesus,” Delaney groaned. “About fuckin’ time. I could barely see shit.”

“Maybe you need glasses,” Dutch said.

“Hey, whoa whoa,” Delaney called out as the squad laughed. “I am _not_ my grandma.”

Buck looked back and said, “Well you certainly move like mine. Hustle up.”

Delaney rolled his eyes as he caught up to the squad. Veronica looked around and asked, “So, you going to introduce me to your squad or what?” She nodded at Delaney and said, “I learned his name when I saved him from getting stabbed.”

“You serious?” Mickey asked. He looked at Delaney and said, “You were in so much trouble you had to have blondie save ya?”

“Fuck you,” Delaney replied.

“Shut up, all of you,” Buck said. He turned to Veronica and said, “Okay boys, introductions in order. Introduce yourselves.”

“Corporal Henry Taylor M-”

“Just your damn callsign,” Buck said.

“Dutch,” he answered with a sigh.

“Romeo.”

“Mickey.”

“Rookie.”

“I thought your name was Delaney,” Veronica said.

Delaney chuckled. “You are correct, however, that word is too complex for these assholes.”

Mickey was about to retort when they heard loud bangs ahead of them. Buck turned and ordered, “Get down. Get down.”

The group dropped to the ground. They crawled a little further and found the cause: two artillery guns, surrounded by fifteen soldiers and their crews.

“One-fifties,” Buck said. “The Allied assault must’ve started.”

“Those guns are going to be hell on our boys,” Romeo pointed out.

Buck smirked. “Not unless _we_ do something.”

Veronica looked at Buck and asked incredulously, “You are going to attack a fixed German artillery position outnumbered and out in the open?”

Mickey chuckled as he pulled his Carbine’s charging handle. “We’re marines, blondie.”

Buck readied his Thompson. “Squad, form up. Stay low.”

The marines lifted their weapons and stalked towards the guns. “Rookie, on your shot,” Buck said.

Delaney aimed down his sights, lining up one of the gunners. He fired, hitting the gunner square in the back. The rest of the marines followed suit, killing seven more before the rest took cover. The German soldiers leaned out and began firing on the marines.

Dutch unfolded his BAR’s bipod and set himself on the ground. He unloaded on one of the gun crews as Mickey moved to his side and picked off any exposed Germans.

“Yeah, Fritz!” Mickey yelled. “You’ve got-”

Mickey’s taunt was interrupted by a shout. He looked over and saw Delaney fall onto his back.

“Fuck! Rookie, you alright?!” he yelled.

Delaney growled as he hefted himself up. He pulled back his Garand’s charging handle and shouted, “Kraut motherfuckers!” He fired the remaining rounds of his rifle until his clip _pinged_. He collapsed onto his back again.

“Just hold tight, Rookie!” Buck yelled. He turned to the rest of the marines and Veronica and said, “Give me covering fire!”

As the rest fired on the Germans, Buck rushed down towards the guns. He jumped behind one of them and fired on one of the crews. He then peeked out and emptied the rest of his magazine into the second crew.

“Clear!” Buck yelled. He turned and hurried back to his men, where he saw Veronica helping Delaney up. “You alright, Rookie?”

Delaney gritted his teeth. “Oh, I feel great.”

Veronica looked back to Buck. “Nothing bad. The shot grazed his hip about an inch from his rear.”

Buck smirked. “Hey, look at that, Rookie. You’ll get a Purple Heart for this.”

Delaney gave him a sarcastic chuckle. “That doesn’t make me feel well, Gunny.” He turned onto his side and said, “Why don’t you kiss it and make it feel better?”

The squad howled with laughter as Buck shook his head. “Sure thing, Rookie.” He walked over and lightly slapped it, making Delaney yelled in pain.

It was Buck’s turn to laugh. “Can you walk?”

Delaney nodded as he got to his feet, hissing lightly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a slight limp.”

Buck nodded. “Alright. Come on, let’s keep moving.”

Delaney inserted another clip into his Garand and closed the action. He and the rest of the group continued along the countryside, keeping their eyes peeled for any other enemy activity. The group would stop and drop to the ground whenever they heard a plane pass overhead.

“Don’t worry about those, boys,” Buck said. “They’re too concentrated on the assault to worry about us.” He stood up once more and the group continued.

Another hour had passed and the squad was walking along a small hill; the sun had fully risen and they could hear muffled booms in the distance.

“Come on, boys,” Buck said. “We’re missing all the fun.”

The group increased their pace; Delaney hissed as another wave of pain shot briefly through his hip.

“You alright back there, Rookie?” Mickey asked.

Delaney nodded. “I’m fine. Just eager to get back.”

Buck looked ahead and noticed a stream of smoke billowing in the air. He turned and said, “Stay sharp.” He led the group over the hill where they found the source of the smoke: a burning tank wreck.

Romeo whistled. “I think we just missed it.”

Buck nodded. “Panzer IV,” he said. Tsking, he commented, “Tough luck, boys.”

Delaney walked past the tank and jumped when he heard gunfire. Bullets pinged off the armor and he dropped to the ground, crawling behind the tank.

“Shit!” he yelled. “They’ve got us zeroed!”

Dutch peaked out and was able to get a glimpse of the enemy before a flurry of gunfire hit next to him. “MG bunker. Two-hundred yards out.”

Buck flinched as more gunfire hit their cover. “Dammit. They have us pinned.”

“This is certainly some rescue,” Veronica commented.

Buck looked at her. “You got any bright ideas?”

Veronica looked to the marines and said, “I need two grenades.”

Mickey retrieved his grenades and Veronica grabbed them. “Give me some suppressive fire on that bunker.”

“What’s your plan?” Buck asked.

“Just watch,” she replied.

Buck rolled his eyes. “You heard the lady, form up.” The squad moved to the right edge of the burning tank and Buck yelled, “Covering fire!”

The marines leaned out and fired on the bunker. The MG kept firing but stopped as the marines’ shots hit against the viewport.

Veronica hustled from the left side and kept running in that direction before turning and heading towards the bunker. The MG resumed firing, but luckily, Veronica was outside of their sights and couldn’t see her.

Veronica braced against the bunker and held up the grenades. She pulled the pins on both, keeping her hands clasped around the safety levers. She stalked towards the opening, flinching as the MG fire rang in her ears. Suddenly, they stopped firing to reload.

Quickly, Veronica opened her hands, allowing the levers to flip up and arm the grenades. She tossed them inside and ducked.

_“Scheisse! Granat-”_

Two booms silenced the shouts of the Germans inside; a large dust and debris cloud shot through the opening. Veronica stood and walked around to look inside; three dead Germans lied on the floor.

Sighing, Veronica turned and walked back to the burning tank, where she saw Buck and the others watching her. Mickey whistled.

“Holy shit,” he commented.

Veronica smirked. “Not bad, huh?”

“Where the hell did you learn that?” Buck asked.

“Classified,” Veronica replied. She grabbed her MP40 and said, “Now let’s get moving.”

Buck looked on as Veronica walked. He turned to his squad and saw them all smirking.

“One word and I slap all of you,” he said. They walked from the tank, making their way back to HQ.

* * *

An hour and a half later, the group made it back to HQ. Forces were mobilizing all over to support the assault against the Germans at the Barbara Line. Buck turned to his squad.

“Boys, head for our corner,” he ordered. “We may be moving out again, so be ready.”

The marines saluted and walked away. Buck turned to Veronica and said, “Follow me.” They walked through the base, a few soldiers stopping and staring at Veronica as she passed them. Finally, they reached the command tent, where they found Hood conversing with a few other officers.

Hood looked up and noticed Buck and Veronica. He turned to the officers and said, “You’re dismissed.” As they left he looked to Buck and asked, “I take it the mission was a success?”

Buck smiled. “Yes, sir.” He stuck his hand out and said, “One OSS agent, safe and sound. However, I wasn’t expecting this agent to be a _‘she’_ , and especially shocking, _‘her’_.”

Hood nodded. “Secrecy, Gunny. It’s integral to the OSS’s operations.” He looked to Veronica and stuck his hand out. “Colonel Terrence Hood.”

Veronica accepted Hood’s handshake. “Agent Veronica Dare.”

“So, what can you report?” he asked.

Veronica sighed. “It’s a mess. The Germans have a tight grip on Italy and their Winter Line defenses are nearly impenetrable. It’s going to take a lot to break their lines for friendly forces to advance.”

Hood nodded. “Understood. Well, once the Barbara Line is taken we can consolidate our forces for an attack on the other lines.”

Buck stepped ahead. “And sir, if I may, when does the next ship leave for the States. Agent Dare needs to be heading back.”

“My assigned duties are _here_ ,” Veronica said. “Gunnery Sergeant Buck.”

Buck chuckled. “Yes, well, my opinion says you should be elsewhere.”

“Why Gunny?” Hood asked. “I was informed by her superiors that she is an exemplary field agent.” He sat down and added, “That is why I am attaching her to your squad.”

Buck’s eyes widened instantly. “What?!” he exclaimed.

Hood jumped from Buck’s yelled. “What? Your squad specializes in unorthodox methods and unconventional warfare. Adding Agent Dare to your roster would be a boon for your team, and by a greater extent, our efforts in this campaign.”

“But colonel, I-” Buck attempted to argue.

Hood lifted his hand. “It’s decided, Gunny. Besides, I don’t see the issue.” He turned to Veronica and said, “Now my dear, please sit. We have a lot to go over.”

Veronica smirked at Buck as she walked past and he exited the tent. He headed back to his squad’s corner, where he found them stocking up on ammunition. Delaney looked up from his hip being patched and waved.

“Hey, Gunny,” he greeted.

Romeo smirked. “Where’s Veronica?” he asked. “I was beginning to enjoy her around.”

With a flat voice, Buck answered, “Don’t worry, you’ll see her in a bit.”

The marines looked at each other and Dutch asked, “What do you mean?”

Buck sighed. “She has been assigned to this squad by Colonel Hood.”

The reaction was instant; the squad doubled over in laughter, Dutch falling over and clutching his stomach on the ground, Mickey and Romeo wiped tears from their eyes, and Delaney clutched his wound as he laughed.

“I hate you all,” Buck groaned. He turned around, electing to go for a short walk rather than deal with the mocking voices of his men.


	12. Fort Raid

_Caserta, Italy_

_December 2 nd, 1943_

Buck sighed as he sat down back in his squad’s corner. He’d just gotten back from the command tent, going over plans to move their forces to the next town, preparations on how to tackle the deeply-entrenched Germans at the Winter Line…

…arguing with Veronica being added to his squad.

Nearly a month had passed since Buck “reunited” with Veronica, and he was still in disbelief about the whole thing. He’d known for the longest time that Veronica was a woman who didn’t let anything stand in her way; she was determined, headstrong, ballsy, and incredibly stubborn.

Just like him.

“Aw, Gunny, why you looking so glum?”

Buck looked up to see Dutch approaching. He shook his head as the soldier laughed once more and sat down next to him. Buck slowly turned to him and replied, “Why do you think?”

Dutch smirked. “Oh right, dear ‘Veronica’,” he said with a chuckle. “I don’t see why you’re upset. I’d be thrilled if my girl was with me while I’m fighting a war.”

“Have you seen her draped around my shoulder and kissing me on the cheek?” Buck asked.

Dutch shrugged. “We just assumed your relationship was complicated.”

“That is the understatement of the year,” Buck said.

Dutch turned to him. “Well, I’m all ears.”

Buck sighed. “I met Veronica in the spring of ’38. I was stationed at Parris Island as a Staff Sergeant, and I went to Savannah with a weekend pass. I walked out of a bar and ran right into her.”

Dutch stifled a laugh. Collecting himself, he said, “Continue, please.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Anyway, she and I locked eyes and we felt…” He trailed off as he chuckled a little. “I don’t want to sound cheesy, but there was a ‘spark’ that we both felt. I guess you could say it was love at first sight.”

Buck looked over the meandering soldiers before continuing. “We dated for close to three years. I don’t think I could’ve met a more remarkable woman,” he said with a smile.

“So, what happened?” Dutch asked.

Buck’s smile fell. “Well, when this fucking war started, it was becoming obvious that the United States was likely going to get involved. I was away at base constantly, reviewing current enlisted numbers, and conducting joint-amphibious exercises with the Army. Whenever we did get the chance to see each other, we mostly argued.”

Buck sighed again. “Then, Pearl Harbor got attacked, and the next day war was declared. I was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant, and I was heading up training at Parris Island. Six months later, as marines were being deployed to the Pacific, I noticed that North Africa, as well as Europe when we got here, was going to be another tough nut to crack. That’s when I got with Gramps to form Alpha-Nine.”

Buck took out the picture, where Veronica’s smiling face could be seen. “About halfway through June, I told Veronica that I would be leaving to find candidates for my squad. Then, she starts arguing how she didn’t want to be the ‘grieving girl’ waiting for my return.” Buck placed the picture back in his pocket. “Then, the next morning, I pulled the small velvet box from my pocket and asked her to marry me.”

Dutch nodded in understanding. “What did she say?”

Buck shook his head. “I didn’t get an answer. I left her house…” he looked to Dutch and said, “…and four days later I was picking your ass up.”

Dutch sighed. “That sounds rough.” He patted Buck on the shoulder and said, “You’ll be fine Gunny.”

Buck smirked. “Thanks, Dutch.”

Dutch looked up and his eyes widened. He looked to his watch and said, “Woo, look at the time. BAR needs cleaning.”

Buck’s brow furrowed. “I thought I saw you cleaning it-” He turned and noticed Veronica walking towards him. She was wearing gear that she scrounged up from around the base to make her own combat dress.

Dutch lightly jabbed Buck’s arm. “Good luck, Gunny.”

“Gee, thanks,” Buck replied. As Dutch walked away, Veronica approached and sat next to him. She removed her helmet and sighed.

“Just got back from the communications center,” she said. “I received these coded reports on a German colonel by the name of Myers commanding an anti-air and naval artillery battery on Ponza Island, fifty miles west in the Tyrrhenian Sea.” She held up some photos.

Buck grabbed the photos and studied them; some were of the German general Veronica mentioned as well as photos of the guns stationed on the island.

“And what is the purpose of these reports?” Buck asked.

“We’ve been ordered to eliminate Myers,” Veronica replied.

Buck nodded. “Uh-huh,” he said. “And let me ask: were these orders from Colonel Hood or your OSS friends.”

Veronica grabbed the pictures and said, “Think of it as a joint decision.”

Buck rolled his eyes and groaned. “Veronica, my men aren’t a squad of assassins that the OSS can just conscript to do their work.”

“Buck, this is incredibly important,” Veronica said. “Killing Myers will punch a hole the Germans’ defenses along Italy’s west coast and allow for further raids and beach landings.”

“My squad is needed here and now to help our forces move out and assault the next German line,” Buck argued.

“The Allied assault will draw attention away from our raid,” Veronica explained. “They won’t see it coming. Colonel Hood already signed off on it.”

“What?” Buck replied. “Bullshit.”

“Orders are orders,” Veronica said.

Buck shook his head. “Come on, Veronica. What could-”

“And Buck,” Veronica interrupted, “call me Captain; temporarily.” She chuckled at Buck’s shocked expression and said, “Get your men prepped. I’ll fill you in on the details, then debrief with the squad.”

Buck watched as Veronica turned and walked away. He sat back down just as Romeo, Mickey, and Delaney approached; they all smiled at watching Veronica leave.

“Ah, there goes my fair blondie,” Mickey sighed.

“And what a looker she is,” Delaney commented.

Buck shook his head. “We’ve got a mission. Briefing’s in a few. Get to our spot.”

The marines saluted and walked towards their corner as Buck walked in Veronica’s direction. They found Dutch making adjustments on his BAR; he nodded in greeting to them.

“Where’s Gunny?” he asked.

Mickey chuckled. “With his ‘lady friend’.”

Dutch shook his head. “What do you know about that?”

Romeo shrugged. “I just know this confirms Gunny isn’t into anything ‘funny’.”

The marines stifled their laughter. Ten minutes later, Buck and Veronica walked into the corner. Buck dragged a table to the middle while Veronica placed a roughly-drawn map of a fort along with some photos.

“Okay, marines, gather around,” Veronica ordered.

The four marines looked at each other in confusion. Buck rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers.

“Get up here,” he said.

The marines looked to each other again and shrugged. They got up and approached the table to look at the photos and map.

“Okay,” Veronica said, “Location: Ponza Island. The target: Oberst Otto Myers.” She showed the marines the photo of the German. “Myers is currently commanding a garrison on Ponza Island. AA guns and artillery have been causing havoc for Allied forces attempting to move through the Tyrrhenian Sea. We’ve been ordered to neutralize the threat.”

Delaney nodded. “So, what’s the plan?”

Buck pointed to the guns. “Simple. We’ll drop in under the cover of darkness, then split into-”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Romeo interrupted. “Since when are you giving orders?”

Buck gave Romeo a warning look and swiped his hand twice across his neck. Veronica fixed the marine with a glare.

“Since today, lance corporal,” Veronica answered. She looked to the others as if daring them to interrupt her again before continuing. “Anyway, we will divide into pairs and hit each sector of the base.”

Buck stepped forward. “The base is under occupation by a Fallschirmjäger unit; I’d say about fifty to sixty soldiers. Stock up on plenty of ammo and thermite for those guns.”

Veronica nodded. “Okay, here are the assignments. Buck and I will hit the central command center of the fort. Dutch and Mickey, you will hit the north end. Romeo and Rookie, you will hit the south.”

Romeo made a noise of disgust. “Great. With the kid again.”

“Hey, I’m right here,” Delaney said.

Romeo ignored Delaney and looked back at Veronica. “This seems like a lot of trouble over one guy.”

Veronica stared at Romeo and said, “These are your orders, soldier.” She straightened up and said, “We jump at 0100 hours.” With that, she walked away.

Buck turned and looked to his squad. “Well, get yourselves ready.” With that, he turned and walked to his spot in the corner to grab his equipment.

* * *

Night had fallen and Alpha-Nine were gathered at one of the Allied airfields. Their ride for the mission–a captured German Heinkel He 111 bomber–was on standby, ready to take them over Ponza Island. The marines wore their darkened combat gear, black face paint covering their faces.

The marines were sitting on a couple of crates when Buck walked towards the group. He put his helmet on and said, “Dare will be here in a few minutes. She and I will go after a few last-minute details.”

Romeo stretched his arm and asked, “So Gunny, you mind telling me why the hell she’s giving us orders? Last time I checked, _you_ are our CO.”

Buck nodded. “Yeah, well, there’s been an adjustment.” He looked to the squad and said, “The one you so lovingly titled ‘Blondie’ is to be referred to now as ‘Captain’, courtesy of Colonel Hood.”

The marines’ eyes collectively widened. _“Oh, brother,”_ Mickey mumbled.

Buck walked around the table and stared at each marine. “So, my advice to each of you is to check your mouths…” he picked up Romeo’s Springfield “…find your chairs…” he slammed the rifle into Romeo’s chest “…and get _set_ for a combat drop!” he spat.

Buck turned and headed onto the plane, leaving the marines to look between each other. Dutch let out a whistle.

“I’d daresay things just got tense,” he said.

Delaney looked to Dutch. “No shit, Captain Obvious.”

“Nah, he ain’t a captain,” Mickey said. “Blondie’s captain.”

Mickey was slapped upside the head by all the others before they walked onto the plane.

Buck was placing his Thompson magazines into the pouches, slowing his breathing to calm himself down. The rest of the marines climbed on a few minutes later, and a few moments after, Veronica followed.

“Okay marines, listen up,” she said. “This bomber will take us over the Ponza Island battery. To cover our insertion, the bomber will drop its payload, creating enough mayhem for us to drop in. Once inside, we split into our teams to hit our objectives.”

Buck stood next to her. “We’ll be jumping with our weapons this time. Keep a tight grip on ‘em.”

Veronica looked to the soldiers. “Any questions?” The marines shook their heads in response. She nodded and turned her head towards the cockpit. “We’re ready, pilot. Let’s get underway.”

Within moments, the engines of the plane roared to life. The propellers spun and the bomber slowly began to taxi down the runway. The plane picked up speed and within moments, they were airborne.

As the plane flew through the darkened skies, Delaney opened and closed his Garand’s action, Mickey was ensuring his Carbine was secured to his pouch, and Dutch and Romeo were checking their ammo.

Buck and Veronica sat silently next to each other, both awkwardly glancing at each other as the plane continued. Eventually, Buck looked at her and leaned closer.

“So, uh…how’ve things been for you?” he asked.

Veronica leaned to him. “They’ve been…alright.” Buck nodded and she asked, “Uh, how about you?”

“Fine,” Buck replied. “Just fine.”

The two awkwardly looked away from each other; Buck looked up to see the others stifling their laughter. He ignored them.

“Approaching the island!” the pilot yelled.

Buck nodded. “You heard him, marines!”

The men scrambled to their feet, tightening their slings to ensure their weapons wouldn’t slip out during the jump.

“Check your chutes!” Buck yelled. “I don’t want to hose you bastards’ guts off the ground!”

The marines and Veronica checked to make sure their parachutes were secured to themselves. Buck walked over and opened the side door; the cold air rushed in.

“Over the target in five!” the pilot yelled. “Bombardier, ready up!”

The bombardier remained on standby as the bomber slowly flew towards the fort. Within moments, they were over the fort.

“Let ‘em have it!” the pilot yelled.

The bombardier clicked the switches, unleashing the payload of bombs onto the base. They exploded all over, the massive fires illuminating the night.

Buck pulled away from the door. “GO! GO! GO!”

Starting with Delaney, the marines jumped from the side door, Veronica jumping last. Buck turned to the pilot and yelled, “Wish us luck!” He jumped out, following his squad down. They plummeted to the island below; a few spotlights were searching all over, but they were able to keep out of their beams.

Once they reached a suitable height, the marines deployed their chutes. They slowly descended and landed inside the fort. Buck rolled as his chute fell over him. He pulled it off and got to his feet. The rest rose as well. They could already hear the shouts of Germans

“Everybody good?” Buck asked.

“Yes, sir,” Mickey replied.

“Good here,” Delaney said.

“Okay, get to your objectives. Move,” Veronica ordered.

Dutch readied his BAR. “C’mon, Mickey,” he said.

Mickey nodded and removed his Carbine from its pouch. They ran along the far wall and up a set of stone stairs, advancing towards the north end positions. They took cover behind a wall as they observed several German soldiers trying to put out one of the fires.

“On your go,” Mickey said.

Dutch smirked and leaned out. He hefted his BAR and opened fire, killing the Germans. More shouts filled the night and more enemies rushed towards them, taking cover behind artillery guns and walls.

Mickey picked off several enemies before advancing next to Dutch. “Dutch, grenades up!”

Dutch set down his BAR and grabbed a grenade from his belt. They pulled the pins and tossed them, landing them behind the enemies. When they exploded, Dutch ran ahead, mopping up any survivors.

“Mickey, get thermite on those guns!” Dutch yelled. “I’ll advance to the next position!”

As Dutch fired bursts of his BAR, Mickey approached the first set of guns. He pulled the pin from a thermite grenade and shoved it down the barrel of one of the guns. The grenade detonated, burning through the barrel; Mickey repeated that twice, disabling all three guns.

“These guns are history!” Mickey exclaimed as he ran to rejoin Dutch. Three down, more to go.

…

Delaney fired off two rounds of his Garand and ducked back behind cover. He and Romeo were pinned down in the south sector of the fort. They were pinned down by a German MG crew, as well as more infantry pouring in.

“Fuck!” Delaney shouted. “The bastards have us pinned!”

Romeo quickly snapped his rifle up and fired, hitting an enemy. “We ain’t moving anywhere!” he yelled. As he reloaded his Springfield, he looked to his right and saw a small tower, and it seemed to be unoccupied.

“See that tower?!” he yelled.

Delaney glanced over and answered, “Yeah! So what?!”

“Give me some covering fire!” Romeo yelled. Delaney had no time to react as he stood and ran towards the tower. He kicked through the door and ran up the spiral staircase. He opened the door and made his way to the edge, giving him a perfect overwatch position. He looked at the MG.

“Okay you son of a bitch,” he said as he aimed through his scope. The crack echoed through the air and the MG gunner fell over dead. The assistant gunner was quickly killed too, as were three others around the nest.

Delaney reloaded his Garand and smirked when he heard Romeo’s Springfield firing. He stood from his cover, opening fire on the Germans as they turned to pull back. He watched as Romeo approached.

“Told ya, Rookie,” he said.

Delaney rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Let’s move.”

…

Buck and Veronica, Thompsons in hand, ran through the halls of the fort. They could hear gunfire and explosions from outside.

“It sounds like your squad’s doing a good job,” Veronica commented.

“Yeah, they’re good at that,” Buck replied.

The pair ran around a corner, finding nearly a dozen German soldiers in the hall. They raised their guns and unleashed a torrent of gunfire, ripping through the enemy soldiers. They reloaded their weapons and hurried down the hall. Another massive explosion rocked the entire space.

“That might’ve been the magazine,” Buck said.

Veronica nodded and they rounded another corner, where they found a massive door at the end. They ran towards it and tried to open it, but it didn’t budge.

“Locked,” Veronica said.

Buck readied his Thompson and fired, sweeping the muzzle over the door; he heard muffled screams on the other side.

“What’s locked?” he asked. He kicked the door and it flew open. Two German soldiers lied dead on the ground, and in front of them at a desk was a German officer.

 _“Ihr verbündeten Hunde!”_ Myers spat. _“Du wirst nie-”_

Buck cut him off by withdrawing his M1911 and putting a bullet square through his forehead. The German slumped down onto the desk, dead instantly.

Buck smirked. “Well, that takes care of that.” He listened closely and noticed there wasn’t any more gunfire. “Sounds like the boys are finished. Let’s get out of here.”

“Not yet,” Veronica said.

Buck turned at her and noticed she was rifling through some files. “What are you looking for?”

“Something important,” Veronica replied.

Buck rolled his eyes and walked back to the desk. He grabbed one piece of paper and read it. “I can’t understand any of this shit.”

Veronica walked over and grabbed the paper. “That’s simply a food supply manifest.”

Buck nodded and set the paper down but his eyes widened when he realized that Veronica _read_ it. “Since when could you understand German?”

Veronica looked at Buck. “My family’s German. They didn’t exactly flaunt it during the First World War. I can understand, read, and speak it.”

Buck nodded. “Huh, learn something new every day.”

Veronica grabbed another paper and examined it. She slapped it and said, “Here we are.”

“What?” Buck asked.

Veronica folded the paper and said, “The Germans have been thwarting OSS operations throughout Italy and southern France for months now, and our sources said that Myers was responsible. This is a list of all the agents here. With him dead, and this returned, we have the upper hand again.”

Buck looked at Veronica and asked, “So wait a minute, the whole point of jumping here was just to get that? You could’ve told us.”

“Anything involving OSS is on a ‘need to know’ basis,” Veronica said.

“Well, since my squad is being used, yes, I feel _we_ should know,” Buck argued.

“Cheer up, Buck,” Veronica said as she placed the paper over a nearby candle, catching it on fire. “You and your marines still got to kill Germans and blow stuff up.”

“Yeah, but I don’t like being kept in the dark,” Buck said.

The pair walked out of the office and headed back outside. They could see the burning wrecks of artillery and AA guns all over. They found the four marines standing next to the fort’s main gates.

Mickey turned around and smiled. “Hey Gunny, Captain, check this out.” He slung his Carbine and unfurled something in his hands; it was the standard flag for the 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment.

“Helluva souvenir, I’d say,” Mickey said with a smile.

Dutch chuckled and asked, “You smoke Myers?”

Buck nodded. “With a .45 to the head.”

“Nice,” Delaney commented.

“Okay, good work, marines,” Veronica commended. “Let’s find transport and head back to Italy.”

The marines saluted and followed Veronica to the docks. “Nice,” Mickey said. “I love getting complimented by women.”

“What women have complimented you?” Romeo asked.

“And your mother doesn’t count,” Dutch added.

“How about yours?” Mickey suggested.

Buck remained silent while the squad laughed as they boarded a German E-boat. Buck started up the engines and the craft pulled away from the dock, speeding across the sea back towards the Italian mainland.


	13. Assault on San Pietro

_Caserta, Italy_

_December 7 th, 1943_

It was a cold crisp morning in Caserta. Delaney was jogging through the town, wearing nothing more than his PT clothes, earning him looks of surprise from soldiers and civilians who were bundled in coats and jackets to stave off the biting cold wind.

Delaney stopped jogging, resting up on a street corner to collect his breath. He looked up and spotted two young ladies looking at him; they both smiled and waved at him. Smiling, he walked towards them.

“ _Salve_ , ladies,” he greeted.

The girls giggled and blushed. One of them looked back to Delaney and asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Delaney waved his hand. “Not at all, ladies.” He flexed his muscles and said, “Tried and true Marine Corps training molded me into a man who can shrug of anything nature or enemy throws my way.”

The girls blushed and the other asked, “Can…we feel?”

Delaney smirked. “Why of course.” He approached and stuck his arm out, flexing it once more. The two girls touch his arm, and they practically swooned.

 _“Mio Dio,”_ one of the girls gasped. Delaney smirked as the two girls ogled him.

“Rookie!”

Delaney jumped and turned around. He saw Mickey walking towards him.

“Jesus Christ, how the hell can you just be wearing that?” Mickey asked.

Delaney chuckled. “Just showing these lovely girls here the brawn and strength of a United States Marine.”

Mickey shook his head. “Yeah, well, Gunny’s calling us together.”

“Aw,” Delaney complained. “Can’t you cover for me?”

“No,” Mickey replied. “I think we’re moving out. Let’s go.”

Delaney groaned. “Alright.” He turned to the girls and said, “ _Addio_ , ladies.”

The girls giggled again. “ _Addio_ , _Rookie.”_

Delaney sighed and waved again as he joined Mickey to head back to the military sector. They entered through the main gate, heading towards their corner.

“So, what’s up?” Delaney asked.

“Elements of the 36th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne are moving on the town of San Pietro Infine,” Mickey explained.

“Oh yeah?” Delaney asked.

Mickey nodded. “Yeah. This town is just south of Monte Cassino and the Krauts’ defenses of the Winter Line.”

Delaney whistled. “Alright. Let’s get to it.”

The pair returned to their corner, where they found the rest of the squad already gathered. Buck looked up and chuckled.

“Rookie, mind telling me why you aren’t decent?” he asked.

Delaney smiled. “What, just showing off for the lovely ladies of Caserta.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, get your clothes on. You’ve got your new cold weather gear too.”

Delaney began changing into his combat gear, putting the new gloves and jacket on. As he finished up, Buck called the squad to attention.

“Okay marines, Allied forces will be attacking San Pietro Infine tomorrow,” Buck explained. “Winning this battle and taking the town is crucial for our attacks to break through the German lines and make our drive to Rome.”

Veronica stepped forward. “We will be going in to support the 143rd Infantry Regiment and the 504th PIR.”

“No shit?” Dutch asked. “Our old friends from Sicily?”

Buck nodded. “Indeed. Also joining us will be the men from the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the Royal Italian Army’s 1st Motorized Group.”

Delaney whistled. “Damn.”

“Yep,” Buck said. “We’ll move out tomorrow morning, so get everything prepped.”

“Now I can pack my bazooka?” Mickey asked.

Buck rolled his eyes and smiled. “Yes, I feel that your bazooka will be appropriate.”

“Thank God!” Mickey groaned.

The marines laughed as they began gathering their equipment, more than ready for action.

* * *

The next morning came and the attacking force was getting prepped. Trucks and Jeeps revved their engines, soldiers checked their equipment before climbing into the trucks. Several officers were going over the final preparations.

“Our main assault will be against the German defenses on Mount Sambúcaro and Mount Lungo,” First Lieutenant Peter Stuart of the 143rd IR explained.

“Intel says the positions are defended by two battalion-sized elements of the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and a battalion of the 71st Infantry Division,” 3rd Rangers Captain George Marks said.

Buck nodded and chuckled sarcastically. “We’ll need to keep alert. They call the highway through the Mignano Gap the ‘Death Valley’ for a reason.”

The two officers nodded. “Damn right. Okay gentlemen, let’s do this.”

Buck nodded and walked towards the assembly area. He looked up and smiled when he saw a familiar face.

“Gunnery Sergeant Buck!” Lieutenant Dan Tucker loudly greeted.

Buck laughed and the two shook hands. “Lieutenant Tucker,” he replied. “Good to see you again.”

“How’ve you and your squad been doing?” Tucker asked.

Buck smirked. “Oh, you know, kicking ass, same as usual.”

Tucker rolled his eyes. “Thank God too. I feel this one’s gonna be fun.”

“Isn’t that why we joined?” Buck asked. “To have fun?”

“Yeah,” Tucker said. “Fun.” He sighed as he slung his Thompson. “See you in Hell, Gunny.”

“I’ll keep a spot warm,” Buck said. He turned and walked towards one of the trucks, where he found his squad gathered.

“Okay ladies, we all ready?” he asked.

“For anything, Gunny,” Delaney replied.

“Alright, the game plan is this: we’ll be assaulting the German positions around Mount Sambúcaro. If we do take the peak, be prepared for heavy Kraut counterattacks.”

“Krauterattacks, if you will,” Mickey quipped.

Buck turned and stared at Mickey. “Dutch, smack him for me.”

Dutch smirked and slapped Mickey upside the head.

“Alright, let’s get loaded up,” Buck said. He jumped into the back of the truck and held his hand out. Veronica took it and he hefted her inside.

“Very end, right next to me,” Buck said.

 _“Cozy,”_ Romeo commented.

“Dutch, smack _him_ for me,” Buck requested. Romeo’s head snapped forward as Dutch hit him. “Alright, let’s go, boys.” Buck proceeded to help Romeo, Dutch, Mickey, and Delaney into the truck. As they took their seats, another soldier approached.

“Is there a Private James Delaney here?” he asked.

Delaney raised his hand. “Right here.”

The soldier retrieved an envelope and presented it to Delaney. “This came in for you.”

Delaney smiled. “Thanks.” He grabbed the letter and looked at it. “Hey, it’s a letter from home.”

As Delaney began opening the envelope, one of the senior officers stood from one of the trucks.

“We’re moving out!” he yelled.

Within moments, the truck lurched as it pulled away. The other trucks and the Jeeps drove on and began driving away, the tanks started up, and the assault force was underway.

Mickey reached into his pocket and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and placed it between his lips. _“Anybody got a light?”_ his muffled voice asked.

Veronica reached into her pocket and pulled out her lighter. “Only if you share.”

Mickey chuckled and removed another cigarette from his pack. “Sure thing, captain.”

Veronica took the cigarette and lit hers. She placed it between her lips and lit it before handing it to Mickey.

Mickey ignited his cigarette and handed the lighter back to Veronica. He inhaled for a moment before exhaling a puff of smoke. He looked to Delaney and asked, “Hey Rookie, you want one?”

Delaney held his now open letter; he was completely silent as he stared at the paper.

“Rookie?” he asked.

Delaney seemed to snap from his reverie and turned to Mickey. “Yes?” he asked.

Mickey looked at the letter and nodded at it. “What is it?”

Delaney sighed. “My old man’s sick.”

The squad overheard what Delaney said. Buck looked up and asked, “Is he alright?”

Delaney shrugged. “Ma says he hasn’t been doing well for three weeks now.” He folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. Waving dismissively he said, “He’s one tough bastard. He’s a marine, he’ll pull through.”

Buck smirked. “Damn right.”

The assault force continued towards San Pietro Infine. The marines made idle conversation with one another as they drew closer and closer.

About an hour later, Buck looked behind him and said, “I think we’re arriving.”

The marines looked and saw they arrived at a mountainous area. Mickey groaned when he saw what was at the top of the peaks.

“Goddammit,” he groaned. “Fuckin’ snow.”

Romeo laughed. “Oh please. You at least are used to this weather in Philly. We don’t get this shit in Georgia.”

“Ah, Georgia,” Dutch said. “That sounds lovely right now.”

The trucks rolled on, stopping just short of the peaks. The soldiers disembarked from them and began running up the mountain.

“Okay, let’s move, marines!” Buck yelled.

Delaney hopped off, helping the rest of the squad off of the truck. They readied their weapons and turned to the mountain. The rest of the force began forming up to rush up the mountain.

“Alright, hustle up!” Tucker yelled.

The soldiers spread themselves out to advance on different points of the mountain. Mortar and Browning machine gun teams carried their equipment up the sides while the others climbed up the sides.

“Move on up,” Buck ordered. The squad reached the base and began ascending. It was quiet as they advanced, and they initially thought they would take the mountain without resistance.

“FEUER!”

MG fire broke the silence, German infantry opened fire from behind cover, and mortar rounds sailed from foxholes.

Several soldiers got hit before the Americans got their bearings and took cover. Buck led his squad to a rock face for cover.

“Dammit!” he yelled over the gunfire. “So much for an ‘easy takeover’!”

“What’s the plan, Gunny?!” Mickey asked.

Buck tilted his head up to observe the German defenses. He spotted one of the MG nests about three-hundred yards farther up the mountain.

“That MG’s gonna keep us pinned!” Buck pointed out. He turned and said, “Dutch, you and Mickey advance up the left side and give him some covering fire! Mickey, blow that fucker to kingdom come!”

“With pleasure!” Mickey replied as he unslung his bazooka.

“Get behind me!” Dutch yelled. He ran out from the cover, peppering the MG nest and any exposed Germans with BAR fire. They eventually made about halfway to the nest.

“You got a shot?!” Dutch asked.

Mickey looked up and nodded. “Yeah. Just keep suppressing the fucker!” He inserted and prepped the rocket, readying the launcher.

“She’s hot!” he yelled.

Dutch ducked back. “Do it!”

Mickey hefted the bazooka and acquired the nest in his sights. He pulled the trigger and the rocket sailed towards the MG. It struck the front, blowing through the sandbags and destroying the nest. The crew spilled out, rolling down the mountain; Dutch fired on them as.

…

Buck smiled when he saw the explosion. “MG’s clear! Let’s move!”

The soldiers hurried from their cover and rushed up the mountainside. Enemy mortars and infantry continued to hamper their assault.

Lieutenant Stuart fired a burst of his Thompson and yelled, “Mortar teams, set up!”

Three mortar crews ran behind another small rock wall and deployed their M2 mortars. As they prepped them, a spotter began yelling the coordinates. Finally, the mortars were set up and the gunners half-inserted their shells.

“FIRE!”

The gunners dropped their shells; they dropped down the barrel and once they hit the firing pin, shot out the muzzle. The shells sailed into the air, coming down right onto the Germans’ positions.

The mortar crews continued their barrage, hammering the entrenched Germans. They eventually pulled back further up the mountain.

“They’re falling back!” Stuart yelled.

The crews collapsed their mortars and the force continued up the mountain. The Rangers spilt off from the main force and advanced towards one of the other peaks.

Alpha-Nine and the 143rd soldiers continued their advance up the summit. Eventually, they reached the snowy part of the mountain. They continued to get bogged down by German small arms and MG fire.

Veronica fired her Thompson on three Germans in a foxhole. She took one step and slipped a little. “Goddammit,” she groaned as she nearly fell.

“You alright?” Buck asked. “I can carry ya.”

Veronica looked at him. “I’d rather Rookie carried me,” she replied with a laugh before unclipping a grenade and throwing it.

Delaney smiled. “That I can do!” he replied enthusiastically. Almost immediately, Dutch smacked him.

“I figured you’d ask, Gunny!” Dutch yelled as he fired his BAR.

“You’d be right!” Buck replied.

The assault force continued clearing the German positions along the mountain. While they initially were able to sweep through, the entrenched defenders slowed their assault. Eventually, they regained their momentum, clearing the mountain and taking the summit.

“Hoorah!” Buck shouted. “Outstanding work, marines!”

The squad cheered as Stuart approached. “We’ve got reinforcements coming and corpsmen to collect the dead and wounded. Get your entrenching tools out; we’re going to need to holdout against any potential counterattacks.”

Buck nodded. “Understood. I’ll get my men on it.”

Stuart glanced behind him and smirked. “So, you mind explaining your ‘plus one’ to your squad.”

Buck knew immediately what he was talking about. “OSS agent Veronica Dare. She’s been attached to my squad due to her skills as a field agent and her experience here in Italy.”

Stuart nodded. “Goddamn, just when I thought being in the Army was gonna be dull.”

“With all due respect, I wouldn’t go there,” Buck warned.

“Why?” Stuart asked. He cocked an eyebrow and asked, “She yours or something?”

Buck rolled his eyes. “No. She’d just kick the shit outta you without hesitation.”

* * *

A week passed since the assault force attacked Mount Sambúcaro. At most immediately after securing the German positions, the Americans either took over or dug their own foxholes to hold out against German counterattacks.

And counterattack they did. The Germans assaulted the American positions multiple times throughout the week, trying to oust them from the mountain. However, the Germans would be met by heavy mortar and machine-gun fire.

By December 16th, thanks to the flanking support from Mounts Sambúcaro and Lungo, the assault force attacked the Germans in San Pietro Infine. After ferocious close-quarter fighting in the town streets and buildings, the town was secure. Casualties–German, American, and civilian–were high.

Delaney was sitting on a few crates at the assembly area inside the village. He was quiet as he checked over his Garand. He and the rest of the squad had been fighting alongside the 141st IR throughout the week; they were waiting for more men to arrive and reinforce them.

Delaney could hear footsteps behind him. He looked and saw Mickey approaching, a couple of containers in his hands.

“Hey Rookie,” he greeted. “I brought you some chow.”

Delaney chuckled. “Nothing but the finest?”

Mickey laughed as he sat on the crate beside Delaney and handed him his food. Delaney took it and dug in. After three forkfuls, he sighed.

“Ah, six months of eating this and it still tastes like shit,” he commented.

Mickey laughed. “I’ve been in the squad since April ’42. Trust me, it doesn’t get better.” He ate another forkful and asked, “So, how’ve you been doing?”

Delaney shrugged. “Well, I think those Krauts gathered at the north end are-”

“That’s not what I meant,” Mickey interrupted. “I’m talking about the news of your old man.”

Delaney paused. “Oh,” he said. He nodded slowly and answered, “I’ve been doing alright. As I said, he’s a tough bastard. He’ll pull through.”

Mickey nodded and patted Delaney’s shoulder. “Whatever happens, we’re here for ya.”

Delaney smiled. “Thanks, Mickey.” He looked back to his tin and said, “Now let’s back to our shitty lunch.”

The two marines laughed and continued to eat. Just as they were finishing, they heard shouting and running footsteps.

“On your feet, ladies!” Buck shouted. “Krauts are assaulting from the north end!”

Delaney took one last forkful of his food before standing up and grabbing his Garand. He and Mickey rushed to join their squad. Buck met up with several 141st soldiers at the perimeter; already they could hear gunfire and explosions. Staff Sergeant Elliot Woods of the 141st approached Buck.

“The Krauts are attacking the north end of the village,” Woods explained.

Another explosion rocked the area. “We need to move now if we want to pin ‘em,” Buck said.

“Okay, my boys will attack from the left and right,” Woods said. “Yours can punch right down the middle.”

Buck nodded. “Sounds fine with me.” He cocked his Thompson and yelled, “Let’s move!”

The Americans rushed towards the village north end. The two opposing forces clashed, gunfire and explosions rang out all over. Suddenly, several half-tracks rolled in; their MGs opened fire to give the soldiers covering fire.

“Cover!” Buck yelled.

The men took cover behind buildings as the half-tracks continued firing on them. Then, the German soldiers stood and ran back behind the half-tracks. The armored vehicles ten began backing up.

“Where ya going?!” Mickey yelled as he fired his Carbine.

The Germans turned and ran, however, some were hit before they could escape. The American forces cheered as the enemy retreated. Sergeant Woods approached with his men.

“I figured,” he said. “They attacked to withdrawal their men. My boys and I will chase ‘em down.”

Buck nodded. “Certainly.”

Woods waved his hand and yelled. “Second platoon! Let’s go!”

The men ran past Alpha-Nine, leaving them in the street. Another soldier approached and said, “Gunnery Sergeant Buck, Captain Dare, Colonel Hood is on the line.”

Buck nodded. He turned to the marines and said, “Stay here. We’ll be back in a bit.” With that, the two departed and followed the soldier.

Dutch sat down on a nearby bench. “Finally,” he groaned. “Some time to sit.”

Mickey chuckled. “Jeez, old man. This was only our fourth attack on the place.”

Dutch nodded. “Yeah, and look where it got us.”

The men looked around at the destruction around them. Buildings were blown apart, debris littering the streets, and small fires all over.

Delaney sighed. “Yeah, and how much of it was us?”

A few minutes passed and Buck and Veronica arrived back. “Okay, we’re remaining here for the time being to help the 36th Division before they move north,” he explained. “Let’s head back to the square.”

The soldiers nodded and gathered their weapons, walking through the debris-filled streets as they walked to the square.


	14. Tense Afternoon

_San Vittore del Lazio, Italy_

_December 10 th, 1943_

Three days passed and Alpha-Nine were now stationed in San Vittore, a small commune two miles northeast of San Pietro they had captured the previous night. They had joined the 36th Infantry in the advance, overrunning the German positions and making a hole through the Bernhardt Line.

However, their rapid advance was halted by the heavy defenses around Monte Cassino and the Gustav Line. Farther east, British and British Indian, Canadian, and New Zealand forces crossed the Moro River, taking more German positions just south of the Gustav Line.

Dutch, Mickey, and Romeo were patrolling through the debris-filled streets, looking out for any enemy activity. Although the Germans had been driven out, they still had to be sure there weren’t any Germans remaining in the town.

“You read the reports from the Pacific?” Mickey asked.

Dutch chuckled. “Hell yeah. Marines have gained more ground in Bougainville.”

Romeo whistled. “I don’t envy those boys one bit. I’d hate to cut through thick jungles, dog-sized bugs, and of course thousands of Japs firing every direction.”

“Well, let’s pray that we don’t get transferred out,” Mickey said. They made it to the end of the street and he added, “This area’s clear. Let’s head back.”

The three marines nodded and headed back towards the center of town. They returned to the assembly area, finding several trucks and tanks on standby in the streets and soldiers helping civilians with the cleanup.

The three marines found Buck, Delaney, and Veronica standing near the command tent. They glanced up and nodded in greeting.

“Hello boys,” Buck said. “How was patrol?”

“All quiet, Gunny,” Dutch replied.

Buck smirked. “Well, that’s good, because we need to move out.” The men all groaned.

“But we just got back,” Mickey complained.

“Stow the bellyaching,” Buck said. “Scouts reported a Kraut anti-tank emplacement hidden in a barn about three miles east. Colonel Hood has tasked us to take out the guns and hold the position until reinforcements can arrive.”

The marines nodded as they unslung and readied their weapons. “Gunny, I’ll take point,” Dutch offered.

Buck nodded. “Rookie, cover our rear.”

The squad formed up and was about to move out when Colonel Hood stepped out of the command tent.

“Captain Dare,” he said. “Message from London has come in for you.”

Veronica nodded. “Very well.” She walked back to the tent and Hood waved them to go ahead and leave.

Nodding again, Buck said, “Okay marines, let’s move.”

The squad headed out of the square and through the town. They passed by the two soldiers manning a Browning MG on perimeter watch.

“Where you boys headin’?” one of them asked.

“Taking out an anti-tank emplacement,” Buck replied.

The soldier whistled. “Well, good luck.”

“Thank you,” Buck replied. The squad exited the village and headed out into the countryside. As they walked, the men made conversation on the most mundane topics.

“I swear, I need to find some new boots,” Mickey complained.

“What’s wrong with the ones you’ve got?” Romeo asked.

Mickey hopped on one foot and showed off his right boot; the sole was almost completely gone.

“Look at this shit,” he said. “These damn things are falling apart.”

“You’re bitching about your boots,” Delaney said. He hefted his Garand and said, “This thing’s been giving me hell recently. It’s almost impossible to put it back together after field-stripping.”

Dutch chuckled. “Well, just remember, our weapons were constructed by the lowest bidder.”

The men laughed but it was cut short by a low rumbling sound. Buck and the others stopped and looked around.

“Half-track,” Buck said. “Cover.”

The squad moved over to a small hill. They crawled to the top and observed as a half-track and patrol of a dozen German soldiers. They passed right by the marines and headed east.

“They didn’t see us,” Buck said.

“You think they’re heading in the same direction as us?” Mickey asked.

“Only one way to find out,” Buck said. He stood up and said, “Loose follow. Let’s move.”

The marines stood from their cover and waited for the patrol to get a fair distance from them before following. They stayed low and kept an eye out just in case one of the German soldier’s eyes decided to wander.

Ten minutes later, the patrol arrived at a small farm. The marines stopped and took cover behind another small hill. Romeo looked through his scope.

“This is the spot alright,” he said. “I’m seeing two 88s, the half-track.” He paused and said, “Infantry: thirty plus change.”

Buck nodded and looked ahead, spotting a dried creek bed. He motioned for the marines to get down.

“Okay, plan; Romeo, you stay here provide sniper fire. The rest of you, follow me down the creek bed,” Buck explained. “We’ll catch ‘em unawares.” He readied his Thompson and said, “Romeo, when you hear the firefight, start shooting.”

Romeo nodded. “You got it, Gunny.”

Buck tilted his head. “Alright boys, let’s move.”

The four marines stalked along the hill before heading to the creek bed. They remained low to stay out of the sight of any lookouts, hiding along the cattails that remained along the bank.

Buck held up his closed fist and the men stalked up the left bank. Lying low, they were now within twenty yards of the guns.

 _“Okay, hold here until I give the signal,”_ Buck said. _“Ready grenades.”_

The marines reached and grabbed their grenades. They pulled the safety pins and waited; Buck raised three fingers and counted down. When he closed his hand, they tossed them.

There was a brief shout before the grenades exploded. Buck stood tall and opened fire; the others followed suit. They ran for and took cover at the house as the Germans collected themselves and opened fire on the marines.

Romeo crawled back up the hill at the sound of gunfire. He aimed, zeroing on one German soldier before firing and hitting him through the neck. He rotated the bolt and fired, hitting another soldier. He fired three more times, each shot connecting.

Romeo unlocked the bolt and began reloading. When finished, he looked through the scope again; his eyes widened when he saw one of the 88s shifting right at him.

“SHIT!” Romeo rolled away from the hill and a split-second later there was a loud bang and the ground where he was exploded, showering him with dirt.

“Holy fuck,” Romeo groaned. He grabbed his Springfield and crawled to another section of the hill. He crouched and crawled up the hill. He spotted the 88 shifting away from him and fired on the gunner. Before anyone else could take his place, Romeo killed the rest of the gun crew.

The marines flinched when they heard one of the 88s fire. “I think they have Romeo zeroed!” Dutch yelled.

“Well let’s hurry up!” Buck yelled. “Rookie, Mickey, swing around the other side!”

“Yes sir!” Mickey replied. He and Delaney ran around the other side of the house. They found three Germans trying to sneak around and they quickly gunned them down. They heard a loud engine roar and spotted the half-track swinging around to get its MG on their position.

“Oh shit!” Delaney yelled. He was just able to shoot and hit the gunner. Mickey unslung his bazooka and inserted a rocket. Just as another gunner took up the MG, Mickey fired, hitting the half-track square in the front. The APC exploded, the gunner screaming as flames engulfed him.

The two eased away from the side of the house and took cover behind the destroyed half-track. They leaned out and opened fire on the second 88 crew as they tried to aim the gun at them.

Buck and Dutch eased to the opposite house edge. They leaned out and fired on the distracted Germans before running towards one of the guns. They took cover behind the sandbags surrounding it before continuing to fire on the Germans.

“Dutch, grenades up!” Buck ordered.

“You got it!” Dutch replied. He set his BAR down and grabbed a grenade. He and Buck simultaneously pulled the pins and threw them. Two booms went off followed by more screams.

“Move up, marines!” Buck yelled.

Delaney and Mickey moved from their cover and Buck and Dutch advanced with them. The remaining German soldiers pulled back to the barn, taking cover inside.

The marines knelt behind some of the abandoned farm equipment. The two opposing forces were at a standstill, peaking up from cover to get a couple of shots off before the enemy could get a shot on them. However, the marines persisted and overwhelmed the last of the Germans.

Buck lowered his Thompson when he noticed it was silent.

“Rookie, go check it out,” Buck ordered.

Delaney nodded and headed into the barn. He observed the dead German soldiers all over before checking any hiding places. Once he saw that it was empty, he returned and said, “All clear, sir.”

Buck nodded. He headed to the edge of the farm and waved for Romeo. He walked back to the squad and a few minutes later, Romeo joined them.

“Alright, I have no idea when support’s going to arrive to secure this location so we’ll standby and keep alert for any enemy activity,” Buck said. “In the meantime, do you boys think that house has a functioning toilet?”

The marines looked at each other. “Uh, no clue, Gunny,” Mickey replied.

“Well, I’m going to check,” Buck said as he walked towards the house. “I’m not shitting in another hole again.”

The marines cackled with laughter; however, Romeo wasn’t, which the others noticed.

“What’s got you so glum?” Dutch asked.

Romeo scoffed. “It doesn’t piss you off that command sends us on these bullshit missions?”

“What do you mean ‘bullshit’?” Mickey asked. “It’s important to the campaign here.”

Romeo laughed. “My ass. This spot’s going to be abandoned within the week, and they’ll send us out to take on _another_ set of AT or AA guns or-”

Romeo was interrupted when he and the others heard a groan. They snapped their gazes over to the source: a wounded German soldier trying to pull himself up.

Romeo smirked. “Oho, look what we’ve got here, boys.” He set his Springfield down and walked over to the German. He looked and saw the German had been shot in the leg.

“Aw, what’s wrong, Fritz?” he asked. He stomped on the German’s wound. He shouted in pain.

“What?” Romeo asked. “That hurt?”

Mickey looked on and said, “C’mon, Romeo. Knock it off.”

Romeo didn’t listen. He grabbed the German and hauled him up. The German raised his hands in surrender.

 _“Ich gebe auf!”_ he exclaimed

Romeo chuckled darkly. “Sorry buddy, I don’t understand you!” he growled. He punched the German several times.

 _“Töten sie mich nicht!”_ he begged.

Dutch stepped forward. “Romeo, that’s enough.”

Romeo kicked the German in the head, sending him to the ground. He pulled his M1911 out and pulled back the slide, aiming it at the German. He clasped his hands together.

 _“Bitte!”_ he yelled.

Both the marines and the German had no time to say anything else before Romeo pulled the trigger, shooting the German in the head. He lowered his gun before holstering it.

Delaney looked on and asked, “What the fuck was that, Romeo?”

Romeo turned around. “What? We’re here to kill Krauts, right?”

“The guy was unarmed and surrendering,” Delaney argued. “And you just shot him like an animal.”

“They are fucking animals,” Romeo stated.

Delaney nodded. “Maybe, but there’s still a certain level of decency we show our enemies, such as not killing them when they surrender.”

Romeo rolled his eyes. “Oh Jesus Christ, here we go with the naïve bullshit again.”

Delaney’s eyes narrowed. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Romeo pointed to him. “Here we have a fuckin’ kid joining the marines for glory, medals, and accolades. A kid who thinks he knows exactly what the hell he’s getting into, and has the fuckin’ gall to tell me how war works.”

“Romeo, back off,” Mickey said as he stepped in front of him.

Romeo pushed past and stood before Delaney, fire in his eyes. “No, I’ve seen it too many times. Fucking replacements who think just because they finish basic training top of the class they’re all hot shit, and two days later they’re on the ground with their blood and guts spilling out.”

“I wasn’t ‘top of the class’, asshole,” Delaney replied. “I was practically in dead last. Gunny saw me for my drive and that I push past my limits.”

Romeo smirked. “Then maybe you joined up to finally make daddy proud of you.”

Delaney’s brow furrowed. “You watch it,” he growled.

Romeo chuckled. “Oho, it seems I touched a nerve.”

Dutch now stepped in between the two. “Okay, that’s enough.”

Delaney shook his head and paused. “I know where this bullshit’s coming from. It isn’t my damn fault that Gramps died.”

Dutch’s eyes widened and he looked to Delaney. He shook his head but it was too late; Romeo pushed past Dutch and stared daggers at Delaney.

“What did you just say?” he hissed.

“You heard me,” Delaney replied.

Romeo’s breathing was labored. “You had better stop talking while you can still walk, Rookie.”

“What?” Delaney asked. “You think putting me down is going to magically bring Gramps back? Here’s a reminder for you, Romeo, he’s dead!”

Romeo sharply shoved Delaney. Delaney gritted his teeth and pushed Romeo back; the sharpshooter snapped and tackled Delaney. The two struck and kicked each other, Delaney ripping Romeo’s helmet from his head and hitting him with it. Dutch and Mickey tried to pry them apart but failed.

“HEY! HEY!”

Dutch and Mickey looked up to see Buck running down the porch steps of the house towards them. Delaney and Romeo continued to fight when Buck arrived.

Buck dove in and injected himself into the fight. The two stopped long enough for Buck to push them apart; his eyes were filled with pure anger.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” Buck bellowed. He collected his breath and yelled, “I leave for five fucking minutes and I come back to find you two at each other’s throats!”

“Tell ‘Junior’ here he needs a time out!” Romeo growled.

“Tell this somber fuck he’s still at the first stage of grief!” Delaney bit back.

Buck had had enough. “Shut up, both of you!” He grabbed Romeo by his collar and pressed him into Delaney’s shoulder. “Romeo, what’s that on Rookie’s sleeve?”

Romeo scoffed. “Looks like a little bit of dirt.” Buck slapped him upside the head and Romeo answered, “Our Alpha-Nine patch.”

Buck grabbed and forced Delaney into Romeo’s sleeve. “Rookie, what do _you_ see?”

Delaney dryly replied, “Our Alpha-Nine patch.”

“Eg-fucking-xactly!” Buck shouted. “In case you two assholes forgot, we’re on the same goddamn team! If you want to fight each other, I suggest you put on one of these dead Kraut’s uniforms! Then you can kill each other!”

The two marines were silent. “No?!” Buck yelled. “That doesn’t sound like a viable option?! Well then cut the shit!”

The marines were completely silent as Buck stared between them. Suddenly, they could hear the rumblings of engines. The marines headed towards the edge of the farm and watched as a pair of Sherman tanks, a couple of infantry trucks, and three Jeeps approached.

 _“Thank God,”_ Buck groaned.

The American forces entered the barn and the vehicles stopped to allow the soldiers to disembark. Buck met up with Lieutenant Stuart.

“Hey Gunny,” he greeted. “Nothing too tough here?”

Buck shook his head. “Nope. Just another fuckin’ day.”

Stuart noticed Buck’s slightly shaky voice and the stern look on his face. “Everything alright?”

Buck nodded. “Fine. You think we could take your Jeeps back?”

Stuart stood aside. “Be my guest.”

Buck turned to the marines. “Let’s go, boys. Mickey, Dutch, Rookie, in the left Jeep.” He turned his gaze to Romeo. “Romeo, you’re with me.”

Romeo tersely nodded and picked up his Springfield. The marines climbed into the Jeeps and started them up. Delaney and Romeo shared one last steely glare at each other before Mickey’s drove away. Buck followed a few moments later.

Once they were out of the farm, Buck asked, “So, you mind telling me what the fuck started that?”

Romeo scoffed. “Rookie’s fucking ego, that’s what.”

Buck looked at Romeo incredulously. “Rookie? An ego?”

Romeo nodded his head. “He’s a cocky little bastard who thinks he’s hot shit. He fights a couple of months and suddenly thinks everything’s black and white in this damn war. What he doesn’t get is that it’s a lot more fucking complicated than that. It’s guys like us that understand this shit–you, me, Dutch…”

“Gramps,” Buck interrupted.

Romeo angrily slammed his fist against the dashboard. “That little fuck has the nerve to talk about him!” he yelled. “He never knew the man he was! He was a good friend and a good soldier!”

Buck nodded. “I’m well aware of that, Romeo. Remember, he helped me form this squad. And as you know, he was the one that selected you.” He kept his hand on the wheel as they approached San Vittore. “And you’re right, he was a good man, a good soldier, and friend.”

Buck turned the wheel as they entered the village. He slowed down as he drove through the debris-filled streets. Romeo stared at Buck.

“Yeah? If you thought so highly of him, then why did you send Gramps to his death without a second thought?” Romeo bitterly asked.

Buck stopped the Jeep in the assembly area. Mickey, Dutch, and Delaney got off of their Jeep and walked around the assembly area.

“Romeo,” Buck simply said, "one of these days, when you’re leading a squad or platoon, you’ll find that there are two choices: bad and worse.”

“Which one was Kasserine?” Romeo asked.

Buck simply looked at Romeo. “Just pray to God you’re never in my position.” He slung his Thompson and walked towards the command tent. He saw Hood and Veronica walk out.

“Ah, Gunny,” Hood greeted. “I take it the anti-tank battery is gone?”

Buck nodded. “Yes. Allied tanks should be safe passing through.”

Hood smiled. “Very good. I hope you aren’t too tired.”

Buck shrugged. “At this point, what does it matter?”

Hood turned to Veronica and said, “Go ahead and explain.”

Veronica nodded and said, “As you are aware, Allied efforts here in Italy have reached a standstill. Our forces are getting bogged down by the Germans’ line defenses in front of Rome.”

Buck waved his hand. “Yeah yeah, I know this.”

Veronica smirked. “Well, my superiors have given me an important mission: I am to get to Rome and gather any intelligence on the Germans’ defenses.”

Buck’s brow furrowed. “You-you’re leaving…so soon.” His eyes looked a little downcast... _a little_.

Veronica chuckled. “Not me, _we_.”

“Excuse me?” Buck asked.

“This is a particularly dangerous mission,” Veronica explained. “My superiors have suggested that I bring some other non-OSS personnel with me to help with my mission. I’ve selected you and one of your men.”

Buck’s eyes widened. “Hey now, what did I say about us ‘being used’ by the OSS?”

Hood stepped forward. “Gunny, this is an incredibly important mission. We need every advantage possible to break the Germans' defenses. We can shorten the campaign here considerably.”

Buck paused and looked between them. “I’m assuming the decision is already made?”

The two nodded. “We depart tomorrow for Amendola Airfield , where a captured German plane will take us into Rome.”

Buck sighed. “Okay. If it’s just one man I can take along with, I’ll take Rookie.”

“Very well,” Veronica said. “Call him over.”

Buck turned around. “Rookie! You’re needed!”

Delaney set down his Garand and headed towards the three. He saluted and said, “Colonel, Captain, what is it that you need?”

Veronica smirked. “What size uniform do you wear?”


	15. Into the Wolf's Den

_Amendola Airfield_

_December 11 th, 1943_

“This is beyond embarrassing.”

Buck and Delaney were putting on the boots of the German Army uniforms they were given; Buck’s was from an officer and Delaney’s was from a simple soldier.

“Yeah,” Delaney commented. “I’m not real comfortable getting into a dead man’s clothes.”

Buck chuckled. “No, these were ‘surplus’…at least that’s what the base CO told me.”

Delaney finished putting on the boots and asked, “So Gunny, why me for this little excursion?”

Buck growled as he tried putting the left boot on. Once he finally slipped it on, he answered, “Well, because you are a capable soldier, and I think some time away from Romeo would do you both some good.”

Delaney chuckled. “Fair point.”

The two finished putting on their uniforms; Buck put on his officer’s hat and Delaney put on his simple field cap. The pair exited the small barrack and headed out into the airfield, where they walked towards the captured Italian airplane that would take them and Veronica to Rome. They spotted the rest of Alpha-Nine sitting near the plane.

Buck sighed. “Here we go.”

The three marines turned their heads and spotted them. Immediately, howling laughter filled their ears as they walked to the plane.

“This is gold!” Mickey exclaimed.

“Oho, the shame!” Romeo called.

“You both clean up nice,” Dutch commented. “10/10, would certainly kill you both.”

Delaney laughed. “Wow. I feel honored.”

Buck shook his head and walked towards the soldiers. “Dutch, in my absence, I am designating you as squad leader.”

“Does this mean I’m getting a promotion?” Dutch asked.

“Nope,” Buck replied. “You’re still a corporal.”

Dutch rolled his eyes. _“Figures,”_ he groaned.

“So what exactly are you going to be doing in Rome?” Mickey asked.

The two disguised soldiers shrugged. “We have no clue,” Delaney answered.

The three soldiers chuckled again but stopped when they looked behind the two. Romeo smirked and said, “Maybe _she’ll_ know.”

Buck turned around and his eyes widened. Walking towards them was Veronica; she was in a uniform similar to what he’d seen women auxiliaries wear. Her black heels clicked along the runway, her blonde hair was tied into a bun, and her bright red lipstick shined in the sun.

Delaney and the others noticed Buck’s dumbfounded expression and stifled their laughter. Buck gave them all a pointed glare but it made no difference. Veronica approached and smiled.

“Buck, you make a good Nazi bastard,” she said.

“Gee, that’s the kindest thing anyone’s said to me, Captain,” Buck said.

Veronica shook her head. “Oh no, it’s no longer ‘Captain Dare’. I am now ‘Frau Hilda’.” She presented a pair of ID documents and said, “Here are your new IDs. Buck, you are now Captain Peter Kirchner, and Rookie, you are now Corporal Hans Krueger, both of the 15th Panzergrenadier Division.”

Buck and Delaney opened their ID documents. “These are airtight?” he asked.

“They shouldn’t draw any suspicion,” Veronica assured. “In exchange for your faithful service to the Reich, you have been granted a personal leave from the front. Your orderly, Corporal Krueger, is accompanying you.”

“Aw, what?” Delaney complained. “Orderly?”

Buck rolled his eyes. “What about you?”

Veronica smirked. “I am a secretary for 10th Army commander, General Heinrich von Vietinghoff. He has so many no one will bother checking.”

Veronica’s expression turned serious as she looked between the two of them and said, “Our mission is incredibly important. We need to find anything about the German defenses between here and Rome. If we can find even the smallest crack, Allied forces can punch through.”

Buck and Delaney nodded. “So, how long is this going to take exactly?” Buck asked.

Veronica shrugged. “Unsure. My last undercover assignment took nearly three months.”

Delaney whistled and smiled. “Three months in Rome? I’m all for it.”

Buck looked to Delaney and said, “This is not leave, Rookie. We’ve got a job to do.” He clicked his heels and exclaimed in a German accent, “Now stand at attention!”

Veronica smirked. “This is how you do it, _Kapit_ _än_.” She looked to Delaney and barked, _“Achtung, soldat!”_

Delaney snapped to attention and saluted. “Uh… _Ja, Kapit_ _än_.”

Veronica chuckled. “That’s how it’s done.”

Nodding, Delaney said, “I’ll try and remember.” With that, he turned and climbed onto the plane, leaving Buck and Veronica with the rest of Alpha-Nine.

Veronica looked to Buck. “We had better get moving.” She followed Delaney onto the plane.

Buck turned back to the rest of the squad. “Well boys, this is it.”

Dutch extended his hand and the two men shook hands. “Good luck, Gunny.”

“Likewise to you, Dutch,” Buck said. He looked to Romeo and Mickey and said, “I expect you to listen to him.”

Romeo rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

Buck laughed. “Well, at the very least to the best of your ability.”

The plane’s engines suddenly kicked in and roared. Veronica leaned out from the door.

“Buck, get aboard!” she yelled over the engines.

Buck nodded and headed towards the plane. He grabbed the three suitcases on the ground and carried them on board. As he climbed on, he heard Mickey yell, “Gunny!” He turned around and saw Mickey waving his hands.

“Here’s looking at you, kid!” he yelled with a smile.

Buck shook his head and flipped Mickey off. He entered the plane and the ground crew pulled the wheel chocks away. A few moments later, the plane slowly taxied down the runway, quickly gaining speed. As the plane reached the last quarter of the runway, it lifted off and flew into the air. The marines cheered as the plane flew high into the air; it turned, changing its course to fly towards Rome.

…

Buck was fiddling with the medals affixed to the uniform, adjusting his collar, or pulling on his boots; anything to keep him occupied on the trip to Rome. Delaney of course was fast asleep in his seat, and Veronica sat silently across from him.

Buck’s gaze shifted to her. He quickly realized how the outfit accentuated Veronica’s body in all the right places. He noticed her legs were covered by nylon stockings _“How’d she get those?”_ he thought. Her eyes were scanning across the pages of a small book in her hands.

Despite them being “separated” for nearly two years, Buck hadn’t forgotten how beautiful Veronica was. However, it wasn’t just her beauty that Buck had loved about her; her quick wit and sharp tongue, as well as her no-nonsense attitude, were just a fraction of the things that attracted Buck to her.

“You’re staring.”

Buck’s eyes snapped up and look at Veronica. Her eyes hadn’t looked up from her book, but she had somehow known.

“Uh…” Buck stammered. “N-No, I wasn’t.”

 _“Gunny,”_ Delaney said sleepily, _“hasn’t your mother ever told you it’s rude to stare at women?”_

Buck smacked Delaney’s leg. “I wasn’t staring,” he defended.

Veronica smirked. “Aw, don’t be embarrassed, Buck. I remember you nearly tripping when you saw my dress for our first date.”

Delaney laughed from his seat. “Jesus Christ,” he groaned.

Veronica laughed again. She closed the book and said, “Here, Rookie. Brush up on your German.” She tossed the book, landing it on Delaney’s stomach.

“Can’t brush up on something I don’t know,” he said as he opened it.

The rest of the flight passed in relative silence; the only noise was from Delaney flipping a page now and then. Eventually, the pilot called from the cockpit, “We’ve arrived.”

The three passengers looked out the windows of the plane. Below they saw the sprawling city of Rome quickly coming into view as the plane headed towards the airfield.

“Okay,” Veronica said. “We need to go over a few last-minute details. We are entering a hot zone; if we are found to be Allied agents operating behind enemy lines, we will be arrested and likely shot. If we are found with stolen German documents or anything of the like, we _will_ be shot.”

“There seems to be a lot of scenarios in which we’re shot,” Delaney said.

“Yeah, thanks for being a voice of confidence,” Buck commented.

Veronica looked sternly at them. “This is serious, you two. This isn’t charging headfirst into battle guns blazing. This requires finesse, patience, subtlety.”

Delaney saluted. _“Jawohl, Frau Hilda.”_

Veronica smiled. _“Gute Arbeit, Corporal Krueger.”_

Buck sighed. “We’re going to die.”

The plane descended, making its way towards the main airfield. The pilot radioed the airfield tower, giving them land clearance. The plane lowered its gears and touched down on the runway, rolling down towards one of the unloading areas.

The plane stopped and Buck looked out to see a small group of soldiers and an officer waiting for them. He took a deep breath.

“You ready?” he asked.

Veronica nodded. “Yes.”

Buck turned to Delaney and said, “Let’s, grab the luggage.”

Delaney nodded and rolled his eyes as he grabbed the three suitcases. The three walked to the door and Veronica opened it. A set of steps was placed next to the door and the three exited.

Veronica walked off the plane while Buck and Delaney handled the luggage. She and the German officer talked with one another; he noticed that the German soldiers had visibly relaxed and smiled.

“Alright, _you_ ready?” Buck asked.

“Nope,” Delaney answered.

“Me neither,” Buck added. The pair walked towards Veronica and the Germans. She turned and smiled as he approached.

“And this is my husband, Captain Peter Kirchner,” she said.

Buck nearly dropped the suitcase. The German officer looked at him and smiled.

“Ah, good to meet you, Captain,” he said as he saluted. Buck returned the salute and the officer stuck out his hand. “Your wife was just telling me about you. I am Lieutenant Wilhelm Ehmann”

Delaney’s tried his damnedest to stifle his laughter. Buck collected himself and hefted the suitcase into Delaney’s grasp, making his wheeze. Buck cleared his throat and shook Ehmann’s hand.

“Good to meet you too, Lieutenant,” he said with the best German accent he could muster.

Ehmann seemed to have bought it. He then looked to Delaney and asked, “And you are?”

Delaney dropped the suitcases and saluted. “Corporal Hans Krueger, sir.”

Veronica turned back to Ehmann and said, “Corporal Krueger has served alongside my husband faithfully for nearly two years. He is joining us on my husband’s leave.”

Ehmann smiled. “Well then, allow us to take you somewhere far more accommodating.” He turned to his men and waved his hand. They grabbed the three suitcases and carried them as Ehmann led the three away from the plane towards a car.

As the soldiers loaded the suitcases into the trunk, Ehmann said, “The driver will take you to the finest hotel in Rome.”

Veronica nodded. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

Ehmann smiled. “Enjoy your leave, sir,” he said as he saluted.

Buck returned the salute as he and Veronica climbed into the back of the car. Delaney got into the front seat. The driver started the car and pulled away from the airfield.

The three remained silent as they were driven through the streets of Rome. The sights around them were somber; while there were the magnificent architecture and vibrant people, it was darkened by passing German soldiers and tanks parked along the road. They also spotted the bodies of dead partisans hanging from trees.

Fifteen minutes later, the car arrived outside of a luxurious hotel. They exited and a couple of bellhops walked over to help them with their luggage. The car drove away and they walked inside, finding the lobby and bar area filled with either affluent civilians or German officers.

Veronica reached the front desk and greeted the man behind it. “Hello. We require two rooms.”

The man nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant Ehmann just called.”

Delaney moved ahead and said in his best German accent. “Bill it to the Reichstag.”

The man chuckled as he presented a couple of keys to the three. “Here you are. Enjoy. Heil Hitler.”

Buck nodded and meekly raised his hand. “Heil Hitler,” he responded.

The three exited the lobby and headed to the nearby staircase. They ascended three flights before reaching their floor, finding their rooms right next to each other.

“We’ll go over our plans tomorrow,” Veronica said to Delaney. “For now, I guess you get a little reprieve.”

Delaney smiled. “Thank God.” He unlocked and opened his door, nearly crying when he saw the various luxuries he had been missing; a large, warm, soft bed, running water, a working toilet.

Delaney dropped his suitcase and walked towards the bed. He collapsed onto it, groaning as the softness enveloped him. He immediately passed out and fell asleep.

…

“So, husband?”

Veronica looked to Buck as she placed her suitcase on one of the beds. She smirked and asked, “What? Does the idea of it disgust you?”

“No,” Buck quickly answered. “I just…I wasn’t expecting _that_ as the cover. You could’ve said anything, why that?”

Veronica shrugged as she removed her jacket. “I figured it would be a good cover. They won’t question why I’m here with you.”

Not able to help himself, Buck said, “I’m just remembering what I asked you a year ago.”

Veronica stopped. She sighed and said, “I’m going down to the hotel bar for a drink and to listen in on the officers.”

Buck nodded as Veronica turned and left. He sighed as he sat down on the bed.

“I also remember not getting an answer,” he said.

There was a knock and Buck looked up, noticing a door in the wall in front of him. He walked over and opened it, finding Delaney on the other side.

“Holy shit, Gunny,” he said happily. “Actual hot water. “I think I’m in heaven.” He looked inside and said, “Hey, where’s the Captain at?”

“Hotel bar,” Buck said. “Seeing if she can gather any intel from the Krauts.”

Delaney smiled. “Well then Gunny, you want to grab a drink from another bar?”

Buck shook his head. “Nah. You can go ahead. Remember, be careful.”

Delaney nodded to Buck with a serious look. “You got it, sir.” With that, he closed the door, leaving Buck alone once more in his and Veronica’s room.


	16. When in Rome

The next day came and the trio was gathered in Buck and Veronica’s room. They wore their clothes from yesterday as Veronica went over their plans.

“Okay, at the bar last night, I was able to listen in on a few German officers,” Veronica explained. “Through some of my ways, I was able to slide into their conversation, and with some more booze consumption between them, I was able to gain the location of valuable information in the Palazzo Esercito, the HQ for the Ministry of War.”

“How will you get in?” Buck asked.

“My cover as General Vietinghoff’s secretary,” Veronica answered. “I can make it seem like I’m requesting a transfer.”

Delaney nodded. “And what about us?”

“The garrison building,” Veronica answered. “It’s located in the Celio district. What you do there is entirely up to you. Just find anything that can help us.”

Buck and Delaney nodded. Veronica looked between them and said, “If you’re ready then let’s move.”

The three got up and exited the room, making their way to the lobby and leaving the hotel. They walked along the sidewalk, passing by civilians and soldiers, making sure to do everything to keep them from raising any suspicions.

The three stopped when they found a large stone building ahead of them. Veronica turned around to face the two men.

“This is where we depart,” she said. “Remember, stick to your stories and you’ll be fine.”

Buck nodded and he watched as Veronica crossed the street and entered the building. Buck took a deep breath and sighed as he watched her vanish.

“She’ll be fine, Gunny,” Delaney said.

Buck nodded. “Yeah.” He collected himself and said, “Okay, _Corporal Krueger,_ let’s move.”

Delaney smirked and saluted. _“Jawohl, Kapit_ _än.”_

* * *

Veronica entered the building. Immediately, she was met by various German and Italian officers walking and talking through the lobby, as well as armed soldiers stationed at various doors.

Putting on her best fake smile, Veronica approached the front desk, where a young woman was clicking away on her typewriter. She noticed Veronica approach and she smiled.

“Guten Morgen,” she greeted. “How may I help you?”

“Hello,” Veronica replied. “My name is Hilda Auspitz. I was directed here for a transfer.”

The woman looked to her papers. “Oh? From where?”

“The office of General Heinrich von Vietinghoff,” Veronica answered. “I was one of the secretaries in his staff.”

The woman began looking through her papers, her brow furrowed. “Hmm, I can’t seem to find anything.”

Suddenly, another officer approached from behind Veronica. “Forgive me, Frau, but I couldn’t help but overhear you mention Vietinghoff’s name.”

Veronica turned and smiled. “ _Ja._ I’ve been a secretary for General Vietinghoff since he’d been stationed in Italy. However, I had asked for a transfer and he allowed it. I figured he would have sent word.”

The officer nodded and chuckled. “Well, maybe Vietinghoff is a little distracted by the Allies attacking the Winter Line.”

The two laughed again and the officer stuck his hand out. “Captain Artur Rühl.”

“Hilda Auspitz,” Veronica replied.

Rühl smiled and said, “Come, Frau Hilda. Follow me.”

Veronica and Rühl walked out of the lobby and down an adjacent hallway. He led her up a staircase, and the nearby door was guarded by two armed soldiers.

“She is with me,” Rühl said.

The soldiers nodded and stepped aside. Rühl led Veronica in, where she found herself on a floor with several rooms. Officers in one of the rooms were going over some slides on a projector, others examining maps of Europe, particularly the fronts in Russia and Italy.

Rühl directed Veronica to a large open room where several other women were working. They were either typing on typewriters, taking phone calls, or writing things down on paper. Rühl took Veronica to an empty desk.

“One of our secretaries was transferred back to Berlin just the other day,” Rühl explained. “We were going to search for a replacement, but if you’re here, then you’ll be a perfect fit.”

Veronica smiled. _“Vielen Dank, Kapit_ _än.”_

Rühl nodded and replied, _“Gern geschehen, Frau Hilda.”_ With that, the captain turned and left Veronica alone.

Veronica went to work tidying up her desk of any clutter that remained from the previous owner. Suddenly, the phone began to ring. She picked up the phone and held it to her ear.

 _"Hallo. Kriegsministerium. Wie kann ich helfen?"_ she asked. She nodded and began writing down the information the caller was telling her. _"Ja. Ich werde sicherstellen, dass er es weiß."_ She finished writing and said, _“Vielen Dank.”_

Veronica got up and walked towards one of the guards. He smirked as she approached.

“Hello, Frau,” he greeted.

Veronica nodded in greeting. “Hello. I received a call from Stefan Platz. He is asking for Colonel Klaus Strasse.”

The guard pointed to one of the meeting rooms. “He’s in there. Far side of the table, last chair.”

Veronica nodded in thanks and headed to the meeting room. As the officer conducted the meeting at the front, Veronica quietly approached Colonel Strasse. She tapped on his shoulder and he turned around.

 _“Guten Tag, Herr Oberst,”_ she greeted. “Stefan Platz called. He’s asking for you to call him; he says it’s important.”

Strasse nodded. “Very well,” he said. He stood from his seat and exited the room.

The officer conducting the meeting noticed Strasse leave and said, “Since Strasse isn’t here, I say we dismiss for the day.”

The officer began gathering their papers; Veronica noticed that Schultz hadn’t taken his papers. She brushed her hip, knocking over a cup of pens. She knelt and began picking up the pens, waiting as the men all exited.

Veronica stood up as the last one left. Looking around to see if anyone would notice, she grabbed Strasse’s papers. She hid them inside a nearby folder and quickly headed out. She walked down the hall and headed into a nearby bathroom.

Walking into a nearby stall and opened the folder. She found a report on the eastern section of the Gustav Line’s defenses. It wasn’t anything too valuable though–just a minor report detailing the line’s defenses; information she already knew.

 _“Dammit,”_ she said quietly. _“I’ll need to keep up this ruse until I find something worthwhile.”_ Crumpling the paper and throwing it away, Veronica headed back into the office area.

* * *

Buck and Delaney walked along the streets as they headed towards the garrison. They would pass by other German soldiers, giving nods to them in acknowledgment. Delaney leaned to Buck.

 _“You think these uniforms will hold?”_ he asked.

Buck leaned to Delaney. _“Just keep your shit together and we’ll be fine. Act like you belong.”_

 _“So act like a pretentious asshole?”_ Delaney asked.

The two marines stifled their laughter before they looked up ahead. At the end of the street was a large building adorned with German banners and guarded by German soldiers.

“Huh, good to see who’s in charge here,” Delaney commented.

Buck smirked as he and Delaney crossed the street. The two soldiers at the entrance nodded in greeting as they entered. Immediately, they found more soldiers inside either reading newspapers, drinking, or talking. An officer walked through and noticed them.

“Hallo,” he greeted. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you here before.”

Buck nodded. “Ja,” he answered in his accented voice. “I am Captain Peter Kirchner, and this is Corporal Hans Krueger.”

The officer nodded. “Ah. Willkommen, Meine Herren,” he greeted. “I’m Leutnant Emil Pfeffer. Might I ask what you are doing here?”

“I have been granted leave for my faithful service to the Reich,” Buck answered.

Pfeffer laughed. “How kind of them. And what about him?”

Buck chuckled and pulled Delaney forward. “Hans here has been at my side since North Africa, and so when I was sent away from the fight, I brought him along.” He turned to Delaney and smacked his back. “Right?”

Delaney smiled. _“Jawohl, Kapit_ _än.”_

“But why here?” Pfeffer asked. “Surely you’d rather spend your leave somewhere other than with soldiers?”

Buck nodded. “You’re right, however, I feel a tad more comfortable around familiar faces.”

Pfeffer smiled and said, “I understand completely.” He outstretched his hand and said, “Come, I’ll show you where the officers have our own fun.”

Buck and Delaney followed Pfeffer from the lobby towards a door at the back. He opened it, leading the marines down two sets of stairs; they could hear boisterous laughter coming from the basement. When they reached the bottom, they found four other officers playing cards at a table; cigarette smoke was all around them.

“Boys!” Pfeffer exclaimed. “I’ve brought us another player!”

The other officers cheered as Buck was led to the table. They pulled up another chair and scooted over to allow Buck to join. He removed the officer’s hat and placed it on the table.

 _“Relax with us, Kapit_ _än,”_ one of the other officers said.

Buck looked at the table and said, “Well I would if I had a drink.”

“Why else would we bring your orderly?” Pfeffer asked.

“What?” Delaney said in indignation.

The officers laughed. “The spirits are around the corner!” one of them yelled.

Delaney shook his head as he turned and walked across the basement. _“Some fucking leave this is,”_ he said to himself. He glanced around, trying to find wherever the booze was. Finally, Delaney found a door with a roughly-painted sign above it that read ‘Spirituosen’.

“I’m going to assume this is it,” Delaney said. He walked towards the door and opened it, immediately finding himself in a room lined with shelves containing rows of bottles. His eyes went wide and he smiled.

 _“Jackpot,”_ he said to himself. He walked between two shelves and pulled one bottle. _“Paolo Ma-I have no fucking clue,”_ he popped it open and took a sniff, nearly gagging from the scent. _“But it smells like shit.”_ He placed the bottle back and began looking again, grabbing one of the other bottles. He flinched when he heard another round of laughter from the main room.

 _“Goddammit,”_ he sighed as he tossed the bottle in his hand and walked out.

…

Three hours

That’s how long Delaney stood by and watched as Buck played cards and drank with the officers. The only time he’d be acknowledged would be to get them another bottle. At about the three and a half hour mark, Buck called for him.

“Krueger!” he yelled. “Bring us another round!”

“Ja!” Pfeffer yelled. “Get us something from Kommandant Scheffler’s office!”

Delaney smiled. He leaned down and grasped Buck’s shoulder. _“Why of course, Gunny!”_ he growled before tightening his grip.

Buck flinched. _“Jesus! He’s got a grip!”_ he yelled in his head. He snapped back to the game and said, “Anyway, who’s dealing?”

Delaney climbed the stairs and headed back into the lobby. He looked around and asked a nearby guard, “Kommandant Scheffler’s office?”

“Second floor, end of the left hallway,” the guard replied.

Delaney nodded in thanks. He turned and walked up the stairs to the next floor, turning left and walking down the hallway. He spotted a young woman sitting at a desk at the end. He smiled as he walked towards her.

“Hallo,” she greeted. “Can I help you?”

Delaney pointed to the door next to her and asked, “Is this Scheffler’s office?”

“Yes, it is,” the secretary answered.

Delaney nodded. “Good.” He stepped towards it and grabbed the handle.

“Hey,” she said extending her hand. “I’m sorry but he’s not in and I cannot allow people in.”

Delaney smiled and said, “Aw, come on, Fräulein…” he looked down at the desk and said, “…Elina. I need to grab some booze for the boys downstairs. They’re counting on me.”

Elina sighed and said, “I am under strict instructions not to let anyone in.”

Delaney sat down on the desk and said, “Please, sweetheart. No one else needs to know. I’ll go in, grab what I need, and be on my way out. Quiet like a church mouse.”

Elina paused for a moment. “In and out?”

“Cross my heart,” Delaney said as he made the motion.

Elina looked at him and nodded. “Okay. But be quick.”

“Of course,” Delaney replied. He walked to the door and opened it, finding himself inside an ornately decorated office. He looked to the portrait of the man he assumed was Scheffler above the fireplace

“Pretentious bastard,” Delaney muttered. He crossed the room and spotted a liquor bottle on the desk. Smiling, he grabbed it and was about to turn and walk away when he spotted something else on the desk. It was a single piece of paper with **VERTRAULICH** across the top.

Glancing around and to the door, Delaney quickly grabbed the paper, folding and placing it in his breast pocket. He then grabbed the bottle and headed back out, finding Elina sitting at the desk with a smile.

“See, in and out,” Delaney said.

“Well, I guess you did keep your word,” Elina replied.

Delaney smirked. “Now why would I lie to a pretty face like that?” He gently tickled Elina’s chin, causing her to blush and giggle. He smiled and raised the bottle. “Well, duty calls, sweetheart.” Before he left, he turned and said, “Oh, and if the dear Kommandant asks, tell him a Lieutenant Pfeffer forced his way past and took this.”

Elina giggled again. “Very well,” she said. She waved as Delaney walked away. He made his way back down the stairs and to the basement, where he found the officers and Buck still playing cards.

“Well, there you are!” Buck loudly exclaimed.

Pfeffer laughed. “We thought you had gotten lost.”

Delaney gave them a sarcastic smile and placed the bottle on the table. The officers cheered and Buck grabbed it.

“Captain,” Delaney said, “we actually must get moving. Your wife is expecting you.”

“Is she?” Buck asked.

Delaney curtly nodded. _“Yes,”_ he said through gritted teeth. “You know how impatient she gets, and you know how mad she’ll be when you’re late.”

Buck slowly nodded and said, “Fair point, corporal.”

Pfeffer and the officers laughed as Buck got up. “Ha! The battle-hardened captain is on a leash!” The officers laughed once more.

Buck shook his head as he and Delaney hurried and walked away. Buck tapped his shoulder and asked, “What the hell, Rookie? I was on a streak.”

Delaney rolled his eyes. “I figured I’d stop you before you got too drunk, revealed who were are, and both of us have to shoot our way out.”

Buck chuckled. “Well, that’s why I brought you along.”

…

It was later in the evening when the pair arrived back at the hotel. They entered Buck and Veronica’s room, finding the blonde sitting in the chair.

“Well, my day was completely worthless,” she said. “I was forced to a desk for the entire day. Any information I could manage to find was either things I knew or outdated info.”

Delaney smirked and said, “That sounds rough, captain. Gunny here however was more than happy to drink and play cards with some other Kraut officers for almost four hours.”

Veronica sharply turned to Buck. _“You what?!”_ she hissed.

Buck turned to Delaney and then back to Veronica. “They strung me in. I couldn’t leave.”

“Buck, we are here on a mission, not to screw around,” she said.

Delaney smiled and said, “ _I,_ however, managed to find this little number in the _kommandant’s_ office.” He pulled the paper out and gave it to Veronica. He looked between the two and said, “You both have fun. I’m heading out to get some dinner.”

Delaney walked to the door and headed out, smirking when he caught the two of them beginning to silently argue.

 _“They even fight like a married couple,”_ he said to himself with a small laugh as he walked to the lobby.

“Dammit, Buck,” Veronica groaned.

Buck opened his arms. “The hell was I supposed to do?”

“Stay on task,” Veronica replied. She unfolded the paper and read it. Smiling, she said, “Well, your Rookie pulled through. This is a report from the Gustav Line about inadequate defenses along the western sector and a hidden German anti-aircraft battery in a village about five miles east of Cassino.”

Buck grabbed the paper. “Well, if it’s a big and bad target that close to the enemy’s lines, then I can guarantee my boys are there right now raising hell.”

“With only three?” Veronica asked.

Buck smirked. “You’d be amazed at what only _one_ could do.”

Dutch fired his BAR into a group of German soldiers. He cackled as fired off another burst.

“Yeah, you fucks!” Dutch yelled. “That all you got?!”

Two more German soldiers ran behind cover. They stood to fire their weapons, but two successive _cracks_ put them down. Two more appeared, but Romeo swiftly put two more bullets into them.

“Die, you Kraut bastards!” Romeo shouted.

The last group of Germans crowded around a 37mm Flak gun. Two of them began shifting the gun at the attacking marines.

Mickey smirked as he hefted his bazooka. “Oho, no you don’t.” He pulled the trigger, sending the rocket downrange and striking the gun, destroying it and sending the Germans around it flying. Two Germans screamed in agony as fires enveloped them. Dutch walked up, firing two rounds into the Germans.

“Clear!” he shouted.

Romeo and Mickey stood from their cover to approach Dutch’s position. Romeo slung his Springfield and outstretched his hands next to the burning flak gun. “Oho, anybody got any marshmallows?”

“Good work, boys,” Dutch commented. “That was the last one. We’d best head back and report to Hood.”

“Can I at least sit down for a little?” Romeo asked as he sat down on one of the sandbags.

Dutch scoffed. “And you call me old man.” He slung his BAR and said, “Chop-chop, let’s move.”

Romeo sighed as he stood up. “I never thought I’d be saying I miss Gunny.”

“He’d be working your ass twice as hard,” Mickey commented. “At least Dutch is easier.”

“I can change that,” Dutch said.

The three marines laughed as they walked away from the burning wreck of the gun and out of the village, where at least six other fires were burning.


	17. Christmas at the Garrison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B O Y did this get long lol. But I hope you enjoy it nonetheless  
> Update 2/4: changes in ending of chapter

_Rome, Italy_

_December 24 th, 1943_

Nearly two weeks passed and the only vital information the three had found was Delaney’s find he “commandeered” from Scheffler’s office. Despite the astounding find, it also placed a massive roadblock on Buck, Veronica, and Delaney; the theft of the paper prompted the Germans in the garrison and the War Ministry to tighten security. This made it far more difficult to gain access to any areas to acquire intel.

Veronica and Buck were sitting in the lobby restaurant eating lunch. They sat in a small private booth in the corner of the space, allowing them to speak privately.

“I’m telling you, the garrison’s got eyes all over the place,” Buck said quietly. “Just about every door is now under guard. And every room you leave the guards check you.”

Veronica sighed. “It’s the same at the War Ministry. They force the secretaries at their desks practically at gunpoint.”

Buck sighed. “Veronica, with all this shit, I don’t think it’s worth it to continue this mission. If we do something too risky then we’re screwed.”

Veronica cocked an eyebrow. “Are you a marine or not? Aren’t you and your team known for making gutsy moves?”

“Veronica, my squad and I are armed to the teeth, there are five of us, and we usually have a simple plan of go in, fuck around, walk back out,” Buck explained. He pointed his finger at the table and said, “This is a lot different.”

Veronica sighed. “Well, we need to figure something out.” She sipped her water and asked, “Where’s Rookie?”

“He told me he’d be taking a walk around,” Buck replied. “Take in the sights.”

* * *

Delaney walked slowly along the sidewalk, taking in the sights of Rome on Christmas Eve. Despite this being a stronghold for the enemy, he couldn’t help but marvel at how cheerful everyone seemed. Then again, the passing German soldiers and tanks always reminded him where he truly was.

Delaney stopped on a street corner and pulled out a small map of Rome that he picked up a few days after arriving. He examined it, looking around for other spots he could see. He wished he had his camera; to bring back something to show his folks.

_“Soldat.”_

Delaney turned around and saw two German officers approaching. He saluted and the officers returned it as they walked towards him.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you around here before, Corporal,” one of the officers said.

Delaney nodded and replied, “I’m currently here with Captain Kirchner. I’m his orderly.”

The second officer smirked and nodded. “Ah, a faithful servant to your superior officer.”

The two officers chuckled, with Delaney joining in. The first said, “Well, it seems believable, would you mind showing us your papers?”

Delaney nodded as he pulled out his papers and presented them to the first officer. He opened it and read the inside. Smiling, he said, “It says here you are from Aachen.” He looked to Delaney and said, “However, based on your accent, I’d say you are more likely from the middle of the United States.”

Delaney was somehow able to keep calm as the officers stared at him. The second leered over and asked, “Where are you really from?”

Delaney stood and determinedly looked at the officers. “It says there for you: Aachen, Germany.”

The officers looked at each other and the first said, “I believe I know what’s going on.”

“What?” Delaney asked, his nerves starting to creep upon him.

The officer smirked. “You were American, but your family answered the call of our glorious Führer, and returned as true Aryans to the Fatherland.”

Quickly agreeing to what the officer, Delaney replied, “Yes. My family and I lived in some dingy, dirty town in Indiana. When my father heard Hitler’s speeches, he felt a sense of pride for what he spoke of. Five years ago, he packed us all up and we sailed for Germany. We remade ourselves; from our hometown to our names.”

The officers laughed. _“Sehr gut,”_ the second said. “You have made a fine choice, soldier.”

The first officer handed Delaney back his papers. “Well met, _Corporal Krueger,”_ he said.

The second nodded. “Ja.” He looked to the first and said, “Well, hope to see you at the party.”

“Party?” Delaney asked.

The officer smiled. “Ja. Kommandant Scheffler puts on an extravagant party for all of the fine soldiers of the garrison. Spirits flow, girls everywhere.” He smiled and added, “You know, the usual.”

Delaney smirked. “Well, I think that sounds swell. I will be sure to tell Captain Kirchner.” He saluted, allowing the officers to salute him before turning and leaving. Delaney’s smile fell the moment they walked out of sight.

 _“Pricks,”_ he said under his breath. He turned around and walked back down the street towards the hotel. He entered, finding Buck and Veronica talking in the corner booth. He grabbed a chair and sat down next to them.

“Hello Gunny, Captain,” he greeted as he grabbed Buck’s beer and began drinking.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Of course. Help yourself.”

Delaney finished off Buck’s beer. Smiling, he asked, “So, what have you two been talking about?”

“The roadblocks we’ve run into after you stole that document,” Veronica answered.

Delaney was about to bite back when the waiter arrived with two more beers. Delaney took his and waited for the waiter to leave before saying, “Hey, you asked me to find intel, and I got you what you wanted. Don’t blame me if the Krauts get antsy when their shit goes missing.”

“Well, the increased security on both the garrison and Ministry is going to be a problem,” Buck said.

Delaney sighed as he leaned back. “Since we’re in a bit of a tough spot, I say we deserve a nice break.”

“We don’t have the luxury to take breaks, Rookie,” Veronica said. “There’s a war to fight.”

“I’m aware of that, _Frau_ ,” Delaney said, “but come on, you said yourself that we’re getting nowhere. What’s the issue of us taking a night off for a little fun?”

Buck looked at Veronica. “He’s got a point.”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “Fine, we’ll go, but remember that we’re still on mission.” With that, she got up and headed out of the restaurant.

Buck watched as Veronica exited the lobby and headed up the stairs. Delaney smiled and said, “Thanks for taking my side, Gunny.” He patted Buck’s shoulder and added as he walked off, “Be sure you clean yourself up.”

Buck looked at Delaney as he left right as the waiter placed the bill next to him. He sighed and rolled his eyes as he took his money out to place it on the table. He sat up and left the restaurant.

* * *

The evening had come and Buck and Delaney arrived at the garrison. The entryway was decorated with various Christmas ornaments; tinsel, wreaths, and ribbons hung from the walls and trees lined the walls. Music played from the larger rooms while waiters walked around with trays of drinks.

Delaney smiled as he observed the scene around him. Once again, the fact that these bastards were his enemy, he couldn’t help but smile at the cheerful atmosphere.

Buck walked in after him, wearing a black tuxedo. He smoothed his hand through his hair before adjusting his tie. He groaned quietly; he did _not_ like dressing up.

Looking behind Buck, Delaney asked, “Where’s the captain?”

Buck shrugged. “No clue. You know women; they take forever to get ready,” he said as he adjusted his cuffs.

Delaney chuckled. “What Gunny?” he asked quietly. “You not a fan of being in a suit?”

Buck groaned. “I fuckin’ hate it.”

Delaney shook his head and snuck his CO away to a private area of the lobby. He chuckled as he adjusted Buck’s collar. “Don’t fret, Gunny. You’ve killed off regiments of Krauts, ran head-first into enemy artillery fire, and have fought from Egypt to Italy. You’re a marine; you can handle this.”

“I think I’d rather walked straight into Berlin,” Buck said.

Delaney was about to laugh again when he looked to the entrance. His eyes widened briefly and he nudged Buck. “Well Gunny, maybe _this_ will make your night more enjoyable.”

Buck turned around and his eyes widened as he watched Veronica walk in. She was wearing a red open-back dress, her blonde hair tied into a long braid sweeping down her left shoulder. Her red lips upturned into a smile as she watched Buck and Delaney’s reactions.

 _“Holy shit,”_ Delaney said quietly. Buck looked over and saw Delaney practically drooling. He immediately slapped Delaney upside the head before Veronica approached and stood in front of Buck.

Collecting himself, Buck stammered, “Uh, V-Veronica, you look…amazing.”

Veronica smiled. “Thank you, _Peter_ ,” she said, reminding him of their cover.

“Oh, uh, of course, _Hilda_ ,” Buck corrected.

Veronica chuckled. “You clean up nicely,” she commented as she brushed her hand over Buck’s tuxedo.

“Really?” Buck asked. “I feel ridiculous in this thing.”

“I think you look handsome,” Veronica said.

The two blushed as an awkward silence descended between the two. Delaney covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. “Okay you two lovebirds, let’s get to the party,” he said.

Veronica smirked. “Remember why we’re here, _Krueger_.”

Delaney waved his hand. “Yeah yeah, I’ll join you after a couple drinks and maybe a dance.” He moved to walk into the main party room before Veronica grabbed him.

“Not so fast,” Veronica said. “You can’t go in dressed like _that_.”

Delaney looked down at his German soldier uniform. “What? I fit right in?”

“Yes,” Veronica said in agreement, “with the guards stationed here.”

“Aw, what,” Delaney complained.

Veronica chuckled again. “Check everywhere and see if you can find anything. Keep out of sight of the guards.”

Delaney looked between the two. “And what of you two?”

“We’ll be at the party,” Buck replied.

Delaney groaned and turned to leave, shaking his head. Buck turned to Veronica and said, “Okay that was cruel.”

Veronica shrugged. “Duty calls, Buck.” She held out her arm, which Buck took before he led her towards the main party. The music became louder and the laughter of the attendees rang in their ears. Eventually, Lieutenant Pfeffer appeared and spotted Buck.

“Ah, Kapitän Kirchner,” he greeted. “Good to see you again.”

Buck nodded. “Leutnant Pfeffer, I still believe I won that third card game.”

Pfeffer chuckled. “We lost track.” He glanced at Veronica and smiled. “And who is this?”

“Hilda,” Veronica replied. “I am Peter’s wife.”

Pfeffer smiled and outstretched his hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Frau Hilda,” he said as he and Veronica shook hands. He grabbed two wine glasses from a passing waiter and gave them to the couple. “Well, enjoy yourselves, my friends.”

“Will do,” Buck said. He and Veronica drank from their glasses as they observed the scene before them. Veronica leaned over and said, _“Mingle around with the officers, see what you can find.”_

 _“Yeesh, ditching me already?”_ he asked.

Veronica rolled her eyes. _“Just get to work,”_ she whispered back.

Buck shook his head as Veronica split off from him. He finished off his wine and immediately headed for the table with much _better_ alcohol. He grabbed a glass and looked around the room, finding Pfeffer with the same group of officers from their card game. With no other places to go, he headed towards them.

The officers noticed Buck walking towards them. They raised their glasses in greeting and two of them stepped aside to let Buck in.

“Kirchner, good to see you again,” one of the officers said.

Another looked to Buck and asked, “Where is your young companion, Krueger?”

Buck chuckled. “He has volunteered for guard duty,” Buck replied. “Such a dutiful soldier.”

...

“This is bullshit,” Delaney groaned. He couldn’t believe there was a party going on a few rooms over, and he was forced to look around for the intel Veronica needed. However, each door he’d try would be locked, and he wasn’t going to be kicking any doors today.

Sighing as he tried the sixth (or seventh) door, Delaney walked down the hall. He noticed a light coming from a barely opened door and so went to investigate. He peaked in and chuckled at what he saw: Elina was standing at a desk, piles of papers surrounding her. She muttered curses to herself as she stacked and organized the papers.

Stepping in, Delaney spoke up. “Having fun?”

Elina jumped and turned around. She collected herself and said, “Oh, Corporal Krueger,” she said a little breathlessly.

Delaney smiled and walked in. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Elina waved her hand. “Oh, you’re fine,” she said.

Looking over all of the papers, Delaney asked, “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be enjoying the party?”

Elina sighed. “Unfortunately, no. My supervisors have asked me to organize all of these files by myself.”

“Aren’t there other secretaries that could help with this?” Delaney asked.

Elina nodded. “Yes, but _they_ are all dates for the officers tonight, leaving little me alone to do this.”

“Now that isn’t fair,” Delaney said. He closed the door and said, “How long have you been here.”

Elina sighed. “Almost three hours.”

Delaney smiled and said, “You deserve a break, Elina.”

Elina looked into Delaney’s eyes and said, “W-What? I can’t deviate from-”

Smiling, Delaney moved towards her. “Ah, come on, Elina. Is it all work with you?”

“It’s important,” Elina said.

Delaney chuckled. “I prefer dodging bullets to pushing papers.”

“Pushing papers is less dangerous,” Elina said.

Delaney smirked. “Maybe, but my line of work is far more exciting.”

Elina sat on the desk and asked, “Oh really? It can’t be _that_ exciting.”

Delaney looked at her. “Oh, are you doubting me?” He watched as Elina giggled and he said, “Okay then. Stay here, I’ll be right back.” He turned and left the room, heading back across to the main party area. He snuck around the side, grabbing a bottle of wine and two glasses. Just before he walked out he spotted something that made him stop.

He watched as Buck tossed back his drink and headed right towards the other end of the room. He spotted Veronica and another officer speaking to each other to which Buck interjected himself with them. Within moments, he and Veronica here hand in hand heading between the dancing couples.

Delaney chuckled. “Atta boy, Gunny,” he said as he exited the room to head back to Elina.

...

Buck gave another fake laugh as Pfeffer finished _another_ horrible joke. The other officers were clearly drunk and were also most likely faking their laughter just to humor the man. Buck had to bite his tongue to keep from speaking out.

Suddenly, Pfeffer’s eyes widened and he raised his glass. “Ah, Wexner!” he called loudly.

Buck turned around to see another German officer approach. He wore a sling over his shoulder to hold his right arm up.

“Guten Abend, Pfeffer,” Wexner greeted.

“Now what happened to you?” Pfeffer asked.

Wexner sighed. “Allied forces have attacked us at Ortona. I was shot in the arm on the first day of the offensive.”

“How fares our forces?” Pfeffer asked.

Wexner sighed. “It isn’t good. It’s been a bloody fight, but I fear we will lose the town in a matter of days.”

Buck smirked internally. “Well, can’t win ‘em all,” he said as he sipped his drink.

Pfeffer smirked and said, “You should know, captain.”

“What do you mean?” Buck asked.

Pfeffer and the other officers chuckled as he said, “Because it looks like Captain Rühl is about to steal your wife.”

Buck turned around and saw Veronica talking to another officer. She laughed at something he said, and Buck noticed this Rühl was standing _awfully_ close to her.

“What’s Kirchner going to do?” one of the officers asked with a smirk.

Mission be damned, Buck slammed back the rest of his drink. The other officers laughed as he walked towards Veronica, immediately inserting himself next to them.

“Hilda, darling,” he said, “would you like to dance?”

Veronica and Rühl looked to Buck in surprise at his tone. “Oh, Peter,” Veronica said. “I thought you were talking with Pfeffer and the others.”

“I was,” Buck replied. “However, you and I _did_ come here together. I only thought it would be prudent we spent some time together.” He turned to Rühl and looked at him with fire in his eyes.

Rühl felt incredibly uncomfortable with Buck’s piercing gaze on him. “Yes, I agree. It was nice talking with you, Frau Hilda. Have a good evening.”

Veronica watched as Rühl scurried away before looking at Buck. _“What the hell?”_ she asked quietly.

“What?” Buck asked. “Am I not allowed to dance with my _wife_?”

Not giving her a chance to nag him again, Buck led Veronica onto the dance floor, where they were surrounded by several other couples. He placed his hands along her waist while she wrapped hers around his neck. They began dancing slowly to the music.

 _“He was speaking about some hidden chokepoints along the Germans’ defenses at the Gustav Line,”_ Veronica said quietly.

Buck shrugged. _“That’s all nice and all, but I just didn’t like how close he was to you.”_

Veronica smirked. _“Oh? Is the big bad marine jealous?”_

Buck scoffed. _“I don’t get ‘jealous’.”_

Veronica chuckled. She glanced around and said, _“This is kind of like our first date at ‘The Ramsey Club’.”_

Buck smiled. _“I remember. You stepped on my feet because you were so nervous.”_

“ _I wasn’t nervous,”_ Veronica said quickly.

Buck chuckled again. _“Sure you weren’t. You were simply petrified by my charming demeanor.”_

Veronica rolled her eyes but laughed, leaning against Buck as they danced. Eventually, the song ended and an officer stood at the front of the room.

“Achtung! Achtung!” he called over the crowd. “If I could have your attention please!”

As the attendees turned to listen to the officer, Veronica tugged on Buck’s sleeve and said, _“Follow me.”_

Buck smirked as Veronica led him to the back of the room. She checked to make sure no one would notice before sneaking herself and Buck into the nearby hall.

“Now what are we doing?” Buck asked.

“Looking on our own for intel,” Veronica said. “If you’re going to be jealous of every man I speak to, then we’ll have to do this my usual way.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Come on. Rookie’s probably finding us what we need.”

…

Delaney and Elina were rolling with laughter, holding themselves up against the table. The bottle of wine that Delaney had brought was almost empty, with only a quarter of the contents remaining.

Waving her teary eyes, Elina said loudly, “No way!”

Delaney laughed as he took another sip of his drink. He had been telling Elina stories of his time in boot camp, making sure not to give away the true side he was on.

“Oh yes,” Delaney said with a chuckle. “So, after lights went out, a couple of the other guys and I were still a little hungry since dinner that night was a slice of bread and some beans, and marches followed right after. So I and three others head over to the mess, one of my friends picks the lock, and we run out with several cans of actual food.”

Elina giggled as she sipped her drink and Delaney continued. “So we pop those boys open and eat everything as fast as we can before running back to our barracks. We barely were able to fall asleep when our CO kicked his way in and forced us outside, demanding to know who stole from the mess hall.”

“What happened?” Elina asked.

Delaney laughed. “At two in the morning, he made us run all around until someone fessed up.”

Elina smiled and asked, “Did you confess?”

“Not…directly,” Delaney explained. “My CO only found out when my friends and I began throwing up.”

He and Elina laughed. She drank from the rest of her glass and said, “I swear, you _Amis_ are something else.”

Delaney lifted his drink. _“Amis?”_ he asked.

Elina gave him a look. “Just something I’ve heard the soldiers call American soldiers.”

Delaney’s eyes widened. “I…I have no idea what you are talking about, Fräulein Elina.”

Elina rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Your accent is atrocious.” She grabbed the wine bottle and topped off her drink. “Don’t worry, _Krueger_ ,” she said with slight mockery, “your secret is safe with me.” She poured him more to drink and asked, “So, what is your _real_ name?”

“Delaney,” he answered. “James Delaney, United States Marine Corps.”

Elina smiled. “I love that name so much more.”

“I’m surprised you’re so accepting of me,” Delaney said before taking a drink. “I figured you’d run for the guards to arrest me.”

Elina smirked at him. “I find you interesting, Delaney,” she said. She set her glass down and placed her hand upon his chest. “I have heard many things about Americans, especially you _Marinesoldaten_. I want to know if they’re true.”

Delaney’s eyes widened briefly. “Uh…w-what do you want to know?”

Elina looked at Delaney with hooded eyes. “Tell me _everything_.”

Delaney grabbed and slammed back the remainder of his drink. Confidence increased, he snaked his hands up Elina’s arms. “How about I show you instead.”

…

Buck rolled his eyes as he watched Veronica picking through another filing cabinet. With the officer at the party talking, they had plenty of time to head to the second floor to search through the files for anything useful.

“What are you looking for?” Buck asked.

Veronica sighed. “Anything with recent dates on it,” she replied. “If it’s recent then it’s most likely useful.”

Buck shook his head. He looked around the partially darkened room before turning back to Veronica. “So, how was I?”

“What do you mean?” Veronica asked as she opened another drawer.

“Dancing out there,” Buck said.

Veronica paused for a moment. She looked back at Buck and said, “You were alright. Way to keep up the charade.”

Buck’s face fell slightly. “I didn’t do that ‘to keep up the charade’, you know.”

Veronica sighed. “Buck, please-”

“What?” Buck asked. “Come on, Veronica. When and where was the last time we’ve done anything together?”

“Buck,” Veronica groaned. She was about to say something else when she spotted something. “Found something.” She grabbed a file and opened it, removing the sole paper from inside before placing it back.

“Come on,” Veronica said. She and Buck left the room and into the nearby hall. He watched as she began reading it. A few moments passed and he saw her brow furrow.

 _“No, it can’t be,”_ she said.

“What?” Buck asked.

Veronica kept on reading the paper, concern laced across her face. _“He couldn’t have been.”_

“What?” Buck repeated.

Veronica was about to answer when they heard some footsteps around the corner. Veronica dragged them into a nearby closet but mistakenly closed the door too loudly.

 _“Damn!”_ she hissed. She leaned against the door and could hear the footsteps heading towards the door.

 _“What do we do?”_ Buck asked.

Quick on her feet, Veronica said, “Quick, put this in your pocket.”

Buck took the paper and asked, “Okay, so now w-” He looked up and his eyes widened when he watched as Veronica slip part of her dress down her left shoulder and ruffled her hands through her hair. She pulled at Buck’s tie to loosen it and unbuttoned his top two buttons before pulling him in for a kiss.

Buck’s eyes widened as he felt Veronica’s lips against his. However, his eyes slowly closed as he wrapped his arms around her, a groan escaping him; the scent of her perfume and the warmth of her body were intoxicating; it had been so long since he’d been with her.

Suddenly, the door opened and the two quickly pulled away. They found a German soldier looking at them with a smug expression.

“Okay you two,” he said. “Let’s step on out.”

Veronica blushed and adjusted her dress back over her shoulder while Buck fixed his hair and tie. “Sorry,” they said sheepishly.

The German guard chuckled and said, “Just leave that sort of thing at home.” With that, he turned and left.

Buck and Veronica turned and walked down the hall away from the guard. Once they knew they’d be out of sight, they breathed in relief.

“That was close,” Veronica said.

Buck nodded. “Yeah.”

Veronica blushed lightly and said, “Hey, uh, s-sorry about springing that on you like that. I-”

“No,” Buck interrupted. “It…it was fine.”

An awkward silence descended between them when Buck asked, “So, what did you read in that paper?”

Veronica sighed. “Our mission here is going to have to come to an end.”

Buck’s brow creased. “What do you mean?"

“The letter talked about an OSS agent being captured,” Veronica said. “He was captured in France and they’re bringing him here to Rome.”

Buck nodded. “So, what do we do?”

Looking at Buck, Veronica answered, “For now, back to the hotel. We’ll discuss everything tomorrow morning. I need some sleep.”

The pair walked down the hall. "I almost forgot," Veronica said. "Where's Rookie?" she asked.

Buck scoffed. "He probably left long ago. I'm sure he's fine."

...

 _“Ja! Ja! Scheisse!”_

Delaney panted as he thrust himself into Elina. Her blonde hair was disheveled, her cheeks rosy from both the alcohol and..."exertion", and her dress was hiked around her waist, with Delaney standing between her spread legs.

The two's breathing grew heavier and faster as Delaney increased his pace. Elina's head arched back before coming back up; she wrapped her arms around Delaney's body, her hot breath tickling his ear. A few minutes later, Elina shuddered the two simultaneously groaned. She pulled back and captured Delaney's lips in a frantic kiss.

Five minutes later, the pair exited the office, their clothes straightened out and breathing returning to normal.

 _“Oooh. Mein Gott,”_ Elina said as she stood in the hall. “Those rumors I heard were _very_ true.”

Delaney smirked as he stepped out and turn off the office light. “That’s a marine for you, darling."

Elina giggled. “Are _all_ of you like this?”

“Pretty much, but I’m the only one here,” Delaney said. He held out his arm and said, “Now, how about we head somewhere a little more decent and…continue?”

Elina giggled again as she took Delaney’s arm. “The desk wasn’t proper enough?”

“No, but it certainly was in a pinch,” Delaney said as he and Elina walked down the hall

 _"Best Christmas ever!"_ he said in his mind.


	18. Vergil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this seems rushed, but my original drafts of some chapters were lost and I had to start over.

The next morning came and Buck and Veronica lied in their beds. As the sun slowly crept through the curtains, Veronica peacefully slept, while Buck was in his bed staring at the ceiling, his hands folded across his chest.

Buck had been thinking for practically the entire night about him and Veronica’s “moment” in the closet. Sure, they had to hide from the approaching German soldier and they _did_ have classified info, but she didn’t have to pull him in for a kiss, right? It wasn’t even a small peck; she practically poured her heart and soul into it.

Buck shifted in his bed and looked upon Veronica’s sleeping form. Even asleep she looked as beautiful and graceful as ever. He knew they were on mission, and he knew that they were deep in enemy territory. But, if there was a chance to fix everything, if he had the chance to rekindle what they had…

Veronica stirred awake and Buck quickly shifted his gaze away. She groaned as she lifted herself and combed her hand through her disheveled hair. She turned to Buck, who had pretended to just be waking up.

“You sleep well?” she asked.

Buck nodded. “Yeah,” he groaned. “Only a slight hangover too.” He rubbed his forehead and asked, “What about you?”

Veronica sighed. “Not well. All I could think about was the OSS agent that had been captured.”

Buck nodded. “So, any other details on that?”

“Yes,” Veronica answered. “It’s the standard procedure whenever captured: name only and nothing else. I initially thought it was a fluke, but then I saw the name ‘Vergil’.”

“Who’s Vergil?” Buck asked.

“OSS Special Agent Joseph Staten,” Veronica. “I’ve worked with him a little before I was captured.” She sighed. “I thought he was safe.”

“Where’s he being kept?” Buck asked.

Veronica went silent before replying, “By the Gestapo somewhere in Rome.”

Buck’s eyes widened. “The fucking Gestapo?” he asked. He slowly shook his head and said, “Veronica, I’m sorry, but that is well outside mine and Rookie’s paygrades.”

“Buck, he needs our help,” Veronica said.

Buck set his head in his hands. “We’re sticking our necks out enough as it is. If he’s in Gestapo custody, then he’s fucked.”

“He will be when he’s transferred to Berlin,” Veronica argued.

“Veronica, we were given orders _here_ , and none of them pertain to rescues,” Buck said.

Veronica threw the covers off of her. “So we leave our own to the wolves, huh?!” she asked angrily.

“If it means _we_ aren’t thrown along him to the wolves, then yes!” Buck hissed back.

Veronica growled as she sat up, walking around her bed and heading into the bathroom, closing the door with a slam.

Buck sighed and fell back into the bed. He groaned into his hands once more. _“Rekindling our relationship…off to a great start.”_

With another sigh, Buck got up from his bed and walked to the door that separated his and Veronica’s room. He knocked twice and waited.

“Rookie,” he said, “time to get up.” He leaned in and didn’t hear anything. He knocked three more times. “Rookie, you up?” he asked.

Looking to the table and grabbed the room key. He inserted it into the handle and turned it to open the door. He flicked the light on.

Delaney flinched and groaned. _“What the fuck, Gunny,”_ he groaned thickly.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Get up, Rookie. We’ve got some more work to do.”

Delaney combed his hand through his hair. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be up in a minute.”

Buck was about to turn and leave when he noticed the larger bulge next to Delaney in the bed. He looked to Delaney and asked, “Uh, Rookie, what’s that?”

Delaney glanced at the bulge and quickly replied. “Oh, uh, that’s just extra pillows and stuff.”

Buck stared at it. “Seems pretty large to be _just pillows_.”

Before Delaney could create an excuse, the bulge moved. Buck heard a groan and suddenly, a naked, blonde-haired woman appeared from under the covers.

 _“Ooh, Delaney,”_ she cooed as she placed her hand upon his bare chest, “you were _Wunderbar_.” She saw Delaney’s expression and turned her head. She squealed as she pulled the covers over her body to hide.

Buck’s head (again) went into his hand. “Rookie, two things. One: who is this?”

Delaney chuckled. “Uh, well Gunny, this is the lovely Elina. She’s Kommandant Pfeffer’s secretary.”

Buck placed his hands over his face. “And two: do you mind telling me how she knows your name?”

Elina looked between Buck and Delaney and quickly said, “Oh, you needn’t worry…Gunny. His secret is safe with me. I promise not to tell.”

Buck sighed again. “Whatever. If we’re compromised I’ll at least know it isn’t my fault.”

Delaney and Elina chuckled as Buck turned and closed the door. Sighing, Delaney looked to Elina and said, “Well, I guess I gotta get up.”

“Aw, do you have to?” Elina asked.

Delaney nodded. “I have to. Duty calls.”

“What exactly are you doing here?” Elina asked.

Delaney chuckled. “Now Elina, you know I can’t answer that.”

Elina pouted. “Don’t you trust me?”

Cocking an eyebrow, Delaney replied, “Elina, don’t put me into this position.”

Elina smirked and scooted closer to Delaney. She walked her fingers along his chest and said, “Maybe I can convince you.”

Delaney reluctantly shook his head. “No, no. Gunny’ll skin me alive if I’m not up and ready.”

Elina giggled and quickly straddled Delaney, the blanket falling away and exposing her nude body. She gave him another pout. _“Bitte?”_ she asked sweetly.

Delaney sighed as his hands subconsciously snaked along her hips. “Fuck it. I’m already in trouble anyway.” The pair laughed again as Elina leaned down and kissed him.

* * *

_“-and we must help him!”_

_“This wasn’t part of our orders!”_

_“The circumstances have altered, Buck!”_

Buck and Veronica were quietly arguing in the hotel restaurant about how to proceed with the situation. Veronica wanted to save him, but Buck wasn’t interested.

 _“Veronica, how do we even know this guy’s still alive?”_ Buck asked.

Veronica fixed him with a steely glare. _“The Germans know they can get information from him, however unlikely it is he’ll crack. But if they get impatient with him they’ll kill him.”_

The pair looked up to see Delaney and Elina walking down the stairs. Delaney lightly tickled the young woman’s chin and she giggled before kissing him on the cheek. He smiled as she turned to leave while he headed towards the pair.

“Morning all,” Delaney greeted.

“And who was that?” Veronica asked.

Delaney smirked. “Elina,” he answered.

Veronica waved her hand. “I don’t need the details.” She turned to Buck and said, “We need to make our next move to save Vergil.”

“Why’s this guy so important to you?” Buck asked.

Veronica turned to him. “Because he is a fellow agent and good friend.”

Buck paused. “What do you mean by ‘good friend’?”

Veronica replied, “He and I trained together, and we grew pretty close.”

“Close?” Buck asked.

Veronica sharply looked at Buck. “What are you getting at?”

“I’m thinking you two are a little more than ‘good friends’,” Buck said.

Veronica’s brow furrowed in anger. _“What does it matter to you?!”_ she hissed.

 _“Veronica, we have been here long enough,”_ Buck said, _“and we have enough intel for our forces down south. We are leaving tonight while we still can.”_

 _“We can’t leave Vergil behind!”_ Veronica bit back.

 _“We’re gonna have to!”_ Buck snapped quietly.

Veronica huffed. _“Fine!”_ she hissed. _“If you want to leave, then you’ll do it without me!”_ She stood abruptly and walked out of the restaurant and exited the hotel.

Delaney clicked his tongue. “Ouch.”

Buck sighed and leaned back. “Is it too early to drink?”

Delaney chuckled. “I’m afraid the bar’s closed for another couple hours, Gunny.”

Shaking his head, Buck said, “Get upstairs and get your stuff packed. We leave tonight.”

Delaney looked at Buck. “We really leaving without the captain?”

Buck shook his head. “She’ll be back, and if need be, I’ll drag her by her hair out of here. Just get yourself ready.”

Delaney nodded. “Understood, sir.” He patted Buck’s shoulder twice before walking out of the restaurant and up the stairs to the rooms, leaving Buck alone at the table.

* * *

Veronica entered the Palazzo Esercito, immediately heading towards one of the records rooms. She snuck along the wall, listening for any nearby Germans. She walked around the corner, finding a lone German soldier next to a door.

“Halt,” he said as he held his hand up. “This area is strictly off-limits.”

Veronica stood before the soldier and said, “I have been requested to retrieve some files for Captain Rühl.”

The German shook his head. “Authorized personnel are the only ones allowed. Leave now.”

Veronica nodded. “Very well,” she said. In a flash, she struck the German’s MP40 from his grip and slammed the soldier’s head against the wall, knocking him unconscious. She quickly gathered his body and gun and dragged him into the room.

Dropping the German on the ground, Veronica hurried over to the filing cabinets. Many had different labels, but one that read ‘Verhaftungen’ piqued her interest.

 _“Arrests,”_ she said. She opened the drawer and sifted through the files, trying to find wherever they were keeping Vergil. However, just as she pulled out one she felt was promising, she heard the sounds of guns being drawn. Veronica turned around and found Rühl, along with two armed soldiers, standing behind him.

“Well well,” Rühl drawled. “What are you doing down here, _Hilda_?”

Veronica went silent as she dropped the file and held her hands up. She began her usual procedure of surveying the room for some way out, but she found none.

Rühl chuckled. “What? Cat got your tongue, Hilda? If that _is_ your name.”

Veronica remained silent; she had no way out of this.

“Still nothing?” Rühl asked. He smirked and said, “Worry not, we have ways of making you talk.” He waved his hand and the two soldiers stood behind Veronica, pushing the muzzles of their weapons into her back.

With no choice, Veronica was led out of the room, down the opposite hallway, and through a door in the back. She was pushed into the back of a car with a couple of suited men.

Rühl chuckled and grabbed the two soldiers. “Pay a visit to the _Regina Hotel_. You will find two others this woman has arrived with.”

The soldiers saluted and departed. Rühl watched as the car containing “Hilda” departed.

* * *

Delaney walked into Buck’s room with his small bag and said, “Well, this everything?” he asked as he gestured to the suitcases.

Buck nodded. “Yeah. The papers we stole are hidden with the clothes.”

Delaney nodded. “When do you think she’s coming back?”

Buck shrugged. “Not sure. But when she does we’re out, no ifs or buts.”

Delaney stifled his laughter. “Oho, so you wear the pants in the relationship.”

“Don’t start,” Buck warned. He sighed and sat down. “I haven’t got any hope to save what we had.”

Delaney sighed and sat on the bed. “Gunny, it’s never too late. Veronica probably wants to reconcile with you, it’s just that certain hitches have complicated things.”

“You mean the war we’re fighting?” Buck asked.

Delaney laughed. “Well, yes, but there’s also the fact you two haven’t seen each other for a while. Look at me for example. My father and I didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye on some things, but you saw how worried I was when I got that letter he was sick. I haven’t seen him for close to half a year and the minute I get back, I am giving that old bastard the biggest hug I can give.”

Buck sighed. “It’s been over a year and a half for us though, Rookie. I think it’s too late.”

Delaney patted Buck’s shoulder. “Ah, don’t give up hope, Gunny. I’ve got faith in ya.”

Buck chuckled as he stood up to check the suitcases. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The two looked to it and Buck asked, “Who is it?”

 _“Room service,”_ a voice answered.

Buck’s eyes widened. He stood from the bed and said quietly, “Closet, now.”

Delaney nodded and entered the closet, hiding inside as Buck walked to the door. He opened it and said, “I wasn’t expecting any-”

Two German soldiers shoved themselves inside, pushing Buck back into the room; his eyes widened when he saw them armed.

“Guten Tag, _Kirchner_ ,” one of them said.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Don’t play stupid with us!” the other spat. “You are coming with us.”

The first German asked, “Where is your ‘orderly’?”

Buck smirked. “Long gone.”

The second German growled. _“Verdammt!”_ He looked to Buck and said, “It matters not. Let’s go.”

Delaney quietly snuck out and kicked the back of one of the German’s knees. He yelled in pain as Delaney wrapped his arm around his neck and knocked his gun from his grip.

Buck kicked the other soldier’s gun from his hands and wrapped his arm around his neck. The marines forced the Germans to their knees.

 _“Who the hell squealed on us?!”_ Buck growled.

The German in Buck’s grasp choked out, _“We found your ‘wife’ rifling through files in a no-access room. She has been detained.”_

“By who?” Buck asked.

 _“Who else?”_ the German replied. _“The Gestapo.”_

Buck’s eyes widened. “Where are they?” The German didn’t answer and Buck punched him in the back.

 _“Where?!”_ he growled.

The German groaned and replied, _“Regina Coeli Prison. But you won’t get inside. Your little blondie will die by their hands.”_

Buck gritted his teeth and wrapped his hands around the German’s head. He was barely able to scream before Buck snapped his neck. Delaney tightened his grip, choking the German and knocking him out.

“Tie him up,” Buck said. “Screw the luggage, we’re rescuing Veronica.”

Delaney began tying up the German and asked, “Gunny, are you sure? Breaking into a high-security prison being used by the Gestapo?”

Buck looked at Delaney with a steely glare. “Damn right.” He rifled through the clothes to retrieve the papers they gathered. “Now let’s go.”

Delaney nodded and was about to follow Buck out when he said, “Whoa, wait. Just one last thing.”

“What?” Buck asked.

Delaney scurried into the bathroom and exited with a few wrapped soap bars. “Okay, let’s go.”

“Really?” Buck deadpanned.

“Hey, it’s better than the fucking bricks the army’s been giving us,” Delaney argued.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Let’s move.”

* * *

Veronica was led through a dimply-lit hallway, passing by darkened cells on either side of her. Two armed soldiers kept their guns on her while the Gestapo agent ahead of her led the group down the hall.

The agent stopped and opened a cell door. He grabbed Veronica and shoved her inside before closing the door. She stood tall and stared the agent through the door.

Smirking, the agent said, “I will be by later to interrogate you. Don’t fall asleep on me now.”

Veronica looked on in disgust as the agent and soldiers laughed and walked away. Veronica kicked the door and sighed.

“Dare?”

Veronica’s eyes widened. She turned around and saw a young brown-haired man. His expression was one of disbelief.

“Vergil?” she asked.

Agent Joseph “Vergil” Staten smiled and approached. The two shook hands and he said, “W-What are you doing here?”

Veronica led them away from the door and said, “We were sent to gather intel to help in the offensive against the Winter Line defenses.”

“We?” Vergil asked.

“I came here with two US marines,” Veronica answered.

“Do they know you’re here?” he asked.

Veronica sighed. “I don’t think so. Buck and I argued about whether to rescue you; he said it’d be too risky.”

Vergil chuckled. “He’s right. This place is impenetrable. I’ve been here nearly three weeks now.”

Veronica sighed again and sat on the bed. Vergil sensed her unease and said, “Hey, you never know. Your marine friends might save us.”

Veronica shook her head. “Not a chance. Buck made it clear he’s leaving, with or without me.”

...

“You sure about this?”

Buck sighed. Night had fallen and he and Delaney were across from the Regina Coeli Prison. Armed guards were stationed out front and searchlights shined all over.

“Yes, dammit,” Buck said. “Remain calm, and follow me.”

The two exited the alley and headed towards the prison. Opting away from the main entrance, they headed for the rear entrance where trucks brought the prisoners. Two guards spotted them and waved.

 _“Guten Abend,”_ one of them greeted.

Buck nodded and Delaney saluted. The pair entered through the door and headed inside, finding themselves among several German soldiers, some of them escorting prisoners, others standing guard; all of them armed.

 _“Shit,”_ Delaney whispered.

“Follow me,” Buck said. They walked across the room and into another area, where they found the prison armory.

Buck grabbed a couple of MP40s, P38s, and ammo pouches. He gave one to Delaney and said, “In case we go loud.”

Delaney chuckled and put the ammo pouch on and loaded his MP40. The pair exited the armory and headed down the hall. They found a lone soldier standing guard nearby and he saluted.

“Soldier,” Buck said in his commanding voice, “follow me.”

 _“Jawohl, Kapitän,”_ the soldier said. He walked between Buck and Delaney when suddenly Buck pulled the soldier into an empty room, jamming the muzzle of his gun into him.

 _“You bastards brought a blonde-haired woman in here not too long ago,”_ Buck growled. _“Where is she?”_

“I-I…” the soldier stammered.

Buck pulled the charging handle. “Three…two…”

The German’s eyes widened and he answered, “Sh-She’s on the second floor, cell block A.”

“You positive?” Buck asked.

 _“Ja,”_ the German replied.

Buck looked at Delaney and nodded. He knocked the German out and set him aside.

“Alright, let’s go,” Buck said.

The pair walked out of the room and down the hall. As they approached the staircase, a voice called, _“Soldaten!”_

Buck and Delaney stopped and turned to see a Gestapo agent approach. “What are you doing right now?”

Buck cleared his throat and answered, “Just patrol, sir.”

The agent chuckled. “Not anymore. Come. You are going to help me.”

Buck and Delaney looked at each other and nodded. “Lead the way, sir.” The agent smiled and walked the two soldiers towards the stairs.

…

Veronica sighed as she leaned against the wall. She and Vergil had been waiting for hours now with no other interactions with the Gestapo.

“So how did you get captured?” Veronica asked.

Vergil sighed. “One of my contacts in France betrayed me. I was captured, sent to Milan, then here. I’m scheduled to be moved to Berlin tomorrow.”

“Looks like I’ll be joining you,” Veronica said.

Before Vergil could say anything else, they heard footsteps down the hall. Veronica stepped away from the wall and stood at the center of the room. She heard the jingle of keys and the door opened, revealing the Gestapo agent.

 _“Guten Abend,”_ he greeted sickly. “I hope you are ready to do some talking.”

Vergil chuckled. “Good luck with that. I only talk when I’m eating, and you haven’t fed me since yesterday morning.”

The agent chuckled. He swung his arm and struck Vergil in the stomach, winding him before he turned to Veronica. “What about you, my dear?” he asked. “Will you be cooperative?”

“Fuck you,” she spat.

The agent laughed again. “Charming. Worry not, I have my assistants to help.” He tilted his head and called, _“Soldaten!”_

The agent sneered and backhanded Veronica, sending her to the ground. He stood above her and laughed wickedly.

“You are about to discover the true definition of pain and-”

The agent never had a chance to finish his sentence as one of the guards wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled, choking him out and within moments snapping his neck. Veronica watched as the agent fell to the ground before looking to the guard; however, she looked closer at the German and realized he looked like…

“Buck?”

Buck lowered the MP40. “Veronica, you alright?”

Veronica nodded and got to her feet. She heard a groan and saw Vergil trying to collect himself.

“Goddamn,” he groaned. “Bastard’s got one mean hook.”

“You okay?” she asked.

Vergil nodded. Yeah, I’m fine.” He looked up at Buck and said, “Nice entrance, my friend.”

Buck glared at the man and asked, “Who the hell are you?”

“OSS Agent Joseph Staten. Codename: Vergil,” he answered.

Buck nodded. “Huh, so you’re the famous ‘Vergil’ Veronica talked so vehemently about.”

Vergil shrugged. “I guess, yeah. Dare here is an astounding agent and one helluva woman.”

“Oh really?” Buck asked. “How so?”

Veronica interjected between them and said, “Now is not the time, Buck.”

Buck kept his glare on Vergil and said, “Whatever. Alright, Rookie, Veronica, let’s go.”

“Lead the way, friend,” Vergil said.

Buck turned to him. “Hell no, buddy. You weren’t part of this whole debacle.”

“What? You’re just going to leave me here with the dead Gestapo bastard? Vergil asked.

“Swift and sneaky OSS agent like yourself, you should be able to take care of yourself,” Buck said.

Veronica looked at Buck and said, “He is coming with us, Buck.”

Delaney groaned. “Oh for fuck’s sake, if you two girls don’t stop arguing then we’re going to get caught with Jerry down there,” he said pointing to the dead agent. “Work first, bitch later.”

Buck sighed. “Okay. Follow my lead.”

Veronica and Vergil nodded as Buck and Delaney positioned themselves to escort the prisoners. They walked out of the cell (Delaney locking the door and taking the key) before walking down the hall. Suddenly, another officer found the group and approached.

“Where are you taking these prisoners?” he asked.

“Transfer to Berlin,” Buck replied. “An Agent Hess informed us to take them by truck to Gestapo HQ.”

The guard looked at them. “And why Is it that Agent Hess is requiring my own men to carry out his work?”

Delaney shrugged. “We’re not sure. He just grabbed us, barked orders, and left for his office.”

The officer sneered. “Well, how interesting.” He looked to the two and said, “Carry on. I shall discuss this with Hess myself.”

 _“Jawohl,”_ Delaney said. He waited until the officer left and muttered _, “Schmuck.”_

“Let’s move, before our luck runs out,” Buck said.

The group continued down the hall and the staircase. Without raising any suspicion, they made it to the motorpool, finding a truck nearby.

“Rookie, hop in and take the wheel,” Buck ordered. “Get us back to the airfield.”

“You got it,” Delaney replied. He ran to the front while Vergil ran to the passenger side. Buck jumped in and helped Veronica into the back. The engine rumbled to life and within moments, the truck departed from the prison.

Buck looked outside the back of the truck, sighing in relief. “Huh, I’m surprised we were able to pull-”

_SMACK_

Buck’s face snapped to the side and a stinging pain was on his face. He looked and saw Veronica flexing her right hand.

 _“Ah!”_ Buck painfully yelled. He rubbed his cheek and said loudly, “What was that for?!”

“Abandoning the mission,” Veronica simply replied.

Buck’s eyes widened. “What ‘mission’?” He counted off his fingers and said, “One, we _never_ discussed going after this guy. Two, you stormed out on your own, without even saying where you went. Three-”

Buck was interrupted when Veronica pulled Buck into an embrace, planting her lips on his. Buck’s anger immediately mellowed as he wrapped an arm around Veronica. They pulled away, Buck’s expression softened.

“A-And that?” he asked.

Veronica smirked. “For coming back.”

 _“Hey!”_ Delaney’s muffled voice shouted from the front of the truck. _“You two kids behave back there!”_

Buck rolled his eyes as they drove through the streets of Rome. Buck had forgotten that it was now Christmas Day, and thus the streets were relatively deserted. Drunken soldiers sang in the streets as they poured out of bars.

Within minutes, they arrived back at the airfield. Delaney stopped the truck next to one of the hangers, where the plane they had arrived on sat parked. He and Vergil got out as Buck hopped from the back and helped Veronica out.

“Is the pilot here?” Veronica asked.

“I fucking hope so,” Buck replied.

Suddenly, the group heard a crash from inside the hanger and their pilot walked out. He sighed and said, “Fuckin’ finally. I was wondering when you guys would show.”

Buck shook his hand and said, “We set to go?”

The pilot nodded. “Yes. Climb aboard and quick. We’ve only got a small frame of time we can enter Allied airspace without getting shot down.”

The group turned to walk towards the plane but when Veronica turned, she saw Vergil standing still.

“Vergil, let’s go,” she said.

Vergil smiled and shook his head. “No. I’ve decided to stay.”

Veronica’s brow furrowed. “Stay? What for? We still have work to do.”

Nodding, Vergil said, “I know, and I will continue my work here. I’ll link up with the resistance fighters here.”

“Vergil, you were captured once already,” Veronica argued. “It’s too risky.”

Vergil shrugged. “Aren’t we supposed to take risks? Just send a report back to Donnie and let him know what I’m doing.”

Buck stepped forward. “Buddy, we went through a lot of trouble to get your ass out.”

Vergil nodded. “And I appreciate that, but until Rome is one day liberated, I will remain here.”

Sighing, Veronica asked, “There’s nothing that can convince you?” She saw him shake his head and she said, “Very well. I’ll also see to it your family knows you’re alright.”

Vergil approached and extended his hand. “Thank you, Veronica.”

Buck looked away as Veronica hugged him briefly and said, “Good luck, Joe.”

“Hey!” Delaney yelled. “We leavin’ or what?!”

Buck and Veronica turned to Delaney, who was hanging out the door. The plane’s engines fired up and the turbines spun.

“He’s right,” Buck said. “We should go.”

Veronica nodded and gave one last wave to Vergil. He waved before looking to Buck, who gave him a small salute. Buck responded with one of his own.

Veronica walked past Delaney and boarded the plane. Buck stood at the foot of the stairs and looked up at Delaney.

“Ah, don’t worry, Gunny,” Delaney said. “You’ll get your chance.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Right. You ready to head back?”

Delaney chuckled. “Oh, absolutely. Why would I want to stay in a luxurious Italian hotel, bedding Kraut broads, when I could be back in the ol’ meat grinder with you and the other bastards?”

Buck laughed. “There’s nothing more I’d want, Rookie. Now get your ass inside.”

Delaney groaned and walked in while Buck boarded after him. The door closed and the plane shifted from the hanger, turning onto the runway. The plane taxied down the runway for a few moments before taking off, taking the trio back to friendly lines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the action next chapter!


	19. Ringing in the New Year

_Caserta, Italy_

_December 27 th, 1943_

Buck, Veronica, and Delaney rode inside a Jeep as they made their way towards Caserta. They had arrived back to Allied lines the previous day, spending some time at the airfield to recuperate before making their way back to the main Allied positions.

A few minutes later, the trio made it to Caserta’s main gates. The soldiers at the entrance allowed them in and Buck slowly drove past and into the town. He waved to a few soldiers as he maneuvered the Jeep through the streets towards the command area.

Buck stopped the Jeep and the three disembarked, making their way through the town. They walked some more, waving to other soldiers before they reached _“Helljumpers’ Corner”._

“GUNNY!”

Buck sighed as Dutch immediately stormed over and hefted him into the air. Mickey came running behind him.

“Dad! You’re back!” Mickey exclaimed in a mock kid’s voice.

“Shut up, Mickey,” Buck said as he was set down.

Romeo was seated on some crates and simply greeted, “Hey, Gunny.”

Buck chuckled. “Your greeting was expected.”

“So, how was Rome?” Dutch asked.

Buck was about to reply when Veronica tapped Buck’s shoulder. “We should give what we got to Hood.”

Buck nodded and said, “If you say so.” He and Veronica walked away, leaving Delaney alone with the squad.

“Alright, spill it,” Mickey said. “What was it like being a Kraut?”

Delaney groaned. “Fucking annoying. Had to deal with a bunch of pricks with their heads stuck up Hitler’s ass. Gunny cozied up with some of the officers in the garrison basement over cards and booze, and thus I had to be their fucking server. Then there was the fact I had to find all of the espionage shit for Captain.”

“Jesus,” Mickey said. “You get any time to breathe?”

Delaney smirked. “Actually, yes, I did.”

Romeo looked up. “What does that mean?”

Delaney chuckled. “Well, at the garrison, I met the lovely Fräulein Elina–the garrison kommandant’s secretary.”

The marines’ interest was instantly piqued. “Oh yeah?” Dutch asked with a smirk.

Delaney smiled. “I found her hard at work at the garrison Christmas Eve, all alone while the officers and others were partying downstairs. I said that she shouldn’t be working while others have fun, so I suggested we have some.”

Mickey smiled. “And what’d you do?”

Delaney shrugged. “Simple. I swiped a bottle of booze from the party and returned with it. We drank and talked and laughed…” He trailed off as his smile grew. “…then I fucked her on the desk.”

The marines howled with laughter and Mickey started bowing before Delaney.

“You didn’t!” Dutch exclaimed.

Delaney joined in the laugher. “Hell yes, I did. She was a smart gal; she figured out pretty easily that I was American and found it…exciting. I decided to show her what a Marine like me can offer.”

“She must’ve been disappointed,” Romeo chided.

Delaney snapped to Romeo. “Nope. In fact, I took her back to the hotel room and we went at it all. Night. Long.”

Dutch saluted. “Rookie, you are doing the Corps proud.”

Delaney and the group laughed. “By the way, you got my gear anywhere?”

Dutch pointed to a small crate, where Delaney’s uniform, helmet, and weapons were placed. “We took good care of them.”

Smiling, Delaney replied, “Thank you, boys. Despite the quiet, peace, and Elina,” the marines chuckled, “it feels good to be back.”

…

Buck and Veronica walked through the town square as they made their way to the main assembly area, they reached the command tent and they found Colonel Hood and a few other officers talking as they entered. He noticed Buck and smiled.

“Gunny!” he exclaimed in surprise. “Long time no see. How was Rome?”

Buck smirked. “Fantastic. Nothing like being right under the Krauts’ noses for nearly a month.”

Hood chuckled. “I take it your mission was a success?”

Veronica nodded and stepped forward. She removed several papers and set them on the table. “These will certainly help with our future operations.”

Hood grabbed the papers and smiled. “Thank you, Captain Dare. Command and I will look over these to plan out the next move.”

“So, what next?” Buck asked.

Hood pointed to a map on the table and said, “Cassino: the last barrier standing between us and Rome. We must capture it to give our forces a clear path to the Italian capital.”

“Rome?” Veronica asked. “We were just there.”

The tent’s occupants laughed and Hood said, “The town itself is a strong point, but it’s the rocky hill and the monastery on top that we believe the Germans are especially dug-in. Taking Cassino will be long and hard.”

Buck nodded. “Whatever we do, my squad’s ready.”

Hood nodded. He pointed to the map and said, “Current plans are calling for attacking Cassino by mid-January. Our forces are going to be gathering in the towns to the south. Get your squad prepped to move out. We’ll be standing by at San Vittore del Lazio.”

Buck and Veronica saluted and turned to head back to the squad. “Right back at it,” he said.

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Veronica said. “This is where you’d rather be.”

Buck and Veronica returned to the corner. “Okay boys, make sure your gear and other shit are ready. Our new home’s going to be San Vittore del Lazio.”

Delaney leaned back on some crates. “I’m just gonna get a little shuteye. Wake me up when we leave.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Sure thing, Rookie.” He walked over and found his gear exactly where he had left it last. He grabbed his uniform and walked around the corner, appearing a few minutes later with all his gear. He grabbed his Thompson and slung it.

_“Back to the meat grinder.”_

* * *

The following day, the forces in Caserta moved out and headed north, passing through the once formidable defenses of the Volturno, Barbara, and Bernhardt Lines. The Allied forces dispersed themselves all along the entirety of the front, spanning from the west to east coast of Italy.

The American forces arrived in San Vittore del Lazio, where they found it to be a lot different than when they last saw it; a lot of the rubble had been cleared from the streets, some buildings had been rebuilt or at least were stable once more, and civilians were once more present.

The marines were sitting around a fountain, watching as other soldiers entered the homes they’d be lodged in for the duration of their stay.

“I gotta say, it certainly seems a little happier here,” Mickey said as he watched some civilians walk past.

“Yeah it does,” Romeo commented. He and the others looked up and saw Buck and Veronica approaching.

“Okay boys, we’ve got our lodgings,” he said.

“Thank God,” Dutch groaned. “My ass needs a good chair.”

Buck smirked. “No chair could hold your overly-large rear, Dutch.” He waited for the men to stop laughing before he said, “It’s an older couple keeping us, so be on your best behavior with them. They’ve got three extra rooms to keep us in. Pairings are as follows: Mickey and Rookie, Dutch and Romeo, and Captain and I.”

“Ohoo,” the marines goaded together.

“Lucky lucky,” Mickey said, barely containing his laughter.

“Wanna trade, Gunny?” Romeo asked.

Buck pointed at him and said, “Your ass will be sleeping outside if you keep it up. Come on.”

The marines laughed again as they gathered their stuff and followed Buck. He led them to a larger house, where they found an older couple standing outside.

Buck smiled and shook the older man’s hand. “Marcello, I’ve gathered my idiots.”

Marcello chuckled. “Of course, my friend. The rooms are all upstairs.”

Buck nodded and led the squad through the small gate. They dropped their gear off inside the small shed off to the side before heading inside and up the stairs, finding three doors open leading to the rooms.

“We’ve got this one!” Mickey exclaimed as he and Delaney stepped into the closest one.

“Romeo, we’ll take this one,” Dutch said.

Buck and Veronica took the last room, and they immediately noticed that there was only one bed. The two awkwardly rubbed their necks.

“Well, we’ve shared a bed before,” Veronica said.

Buck nodded. “When was the last time?”

Veronica looked at Buck. “You don’t remember? The next morning you asked me-”

“I only remember not getting an answer,” Buck replied.

Before the two could continue talking, Marcello showed up and said, “Gunny, there’s a man outside asking for you.”

Buck walked out of the room and down the hall, opening the window and looking down to see Hood standing in the yard.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Buck asked.

“Sorry to disturb you, Gunny, but scouts have reported a German AA battery set up about two miles east of here,” he said. “Haven’t lost any planes but we aren’t waiting ‘til we do.”

“Understood, sir,” Buck replied.

“You and your squad take care of it, you’ll be relieved until we resume operations,” Hood said.

Buck smiled. “My boys will be glad to hear.” He closed the window and clapped his hands. “You assholes better not be sleeping. Get on your feet, we are moving out.”

Groans came from the two doors and the marines exited. “What the hell, Gunny?” Romeo complained.

“Quit bitching,” Buck said. “Kraut AA guns, we silence them, we can relax for New Year’s tonight.”

That grabbed the attention of the marines and they immediately exited their rooms and made their way outside. They grabbed their weapons and other gear from the shed, checking their magazines and ensuring they had enough ammo.

Veronica grabbed her Thompson when Buck stepped towards her. “Hey Captain, this’ll only be a simple mission. There’s no need for you to come along.”

Veronica cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, really? And whose decision is that?”

“Mine,” Buck said simply. “I don’t want any unnecessary drama out-”

“Drama?” Veronica parroted. She scoffed and said, “You know what, you’re right.” She set her Thompson down and said, “Good luck, Gunnery Sergeant.”

The squad could instantly feel the tension once more between them. Buck hefted his Thompson.

“Yep,” he replied. He readied his gun and said, “Okay marines, let’s move.”

Shrugging, the marines followed Buck out of the yard and into the town. They glanced back to Veronica, watching her as she followed Deanna back inside.

Delaney turned back and said, “Uh, you sure that was the right move, Gunny?”

Buck shrugged. “What? It’s a simple job, we’ll be back within the hour more than likely.”

Romeo smirked. “Yeah, but Captain looked pretty pissed.”

“When doesn’t she?” Buck asked.

The marines looked at each other with looks of shock and disbelief. _“I’m glad I’m not sharing a room with her,”_ Dutch muttered.

 _“She is going to kick his ass,”_ Mickey commented quietly out of what he thought was Buck’s earshot.

“I know,” Buck said.

…

The squad exited the town and marched through the countryside, taking in the sights as they made their way to the target. It was a mostly silent trip; the only sounds were the crunch of their boots.

Buck raised his hand and the marines lowered themselves. They stalked along the ground, making it to a pair of trees and stopping. About fifty yards in front of them were three Flak 88s and their accompanying crews.

 _“Here we are,”_ Buck said quietly.

Dutch crawled up a little and smirked. “Only fifteen Krauts? This is almost too easy.”

Mickey unfolded his Carbine’s stock and asked, _“What’s the plan, Gunny?”_

Buck observed the position and said, _“Dutch and I will sneak up on ‘em while you three hang back here and pick them off. We’ll step in while they’re distracted and hose ‘em.”_ He turned back and said, _“Okay, move.”_

Buck and Dutch hustled from their position, sneaking out of sight of the Germans while the other three readied their weapons. Romeo scoped them and Buck gave him a thumbs up.

 _“They’re in position,”_ Romeo said. He rotated his bolt and shifted to one of the Germans. _“Pick a target.”_

Shots rang out as the marines fired on the Germans. The enemy soldiers yelled and grabbed their weapons, taking cover behind the guns. They didn’t notice Buck and Dutch walk behind them.

A flurry of fire swept over the Germans. Dutch cackled as he unloaded .30 cal into a small group of soldiers. Within moments, it had gone quiet, save for one German gasping for breath. Buck rolled his eyes as he pressed his Thompson’s muzzle to his head.

_BANG_

The German slumped over and Buck pulled out his empty magazine. “Squad, form up!” he yelled.

The other three hurried over, whistling at the carnage they found. “Too easy,” Mickey said.

“Yeah,” Romeo commented. “Seriously, why is the army giving us bitch work?”

Buck shrugged. “Hey, gets the blood pumpin’.” He placed a fresh magazine in and said, “Good work, marines. Let’s head back.”

Romeo chuckled. “Yeah, Gunny’s got his ass-beating with Captain.”

The squad laughed as they left the guns and trekked back to the town. “You let me worry about her,” Buck said.

Dutch smirked. “What Gunny? You and captain not reconnect in Rome?”

“The exact opposite,” Buck replied.

The marines laughed again. “Aw, you didn’t get lucky like Rookie here?” Mickey asked. Another round of laughs came from the marines.

Sighing, Buck deadpanned, “No.” The marines continued to laugh at his expense as they walked back.

…

San Vittore del Lazio was alive with activity. Soldiers and civilians flooded the streets and celebrated within the homes they were lodged in. Lights were strung across the buildings and homes and the air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Alpha-Nine were gathered with Marcello, Deanna, and their two sons and daughter in the sitting room, Deanna pouring them all wine. The marines smiled and raised their glasses with Marcello.

“Let us drink my friends,” he said. “Here’s to the New Year.”

“And to a swift end to the war,” Dutch said, glass raised.

“I swear to God, if we’re still fighting by this time next year, I’ll kill someone!” Romeo exclaimed.

Delaney raised his glass. “And here’s to…good company,” he said as he smiled at Marcello’s daughter, Zoe, sitting atop his lap. She giggled as he pulled her close and the rest all raised their glasses.

 _“Alla vostra salute!”_ Marcello said loudly.

 _“Salute!”_ the marines repeated. The group clinked their glasses and while the hosts sipped their wine, the marines slammed their drinks.

“Damn, that hit the spot,” Dutch said.

The squad continued talking and drinking with their hosts; loud voices and rambunctious laughter filled the small room. The hours went on and it was twenty ‘til midnight.

Buck looked around the room and suddenly noticed they were short one. _“Where’s Veronica?”_ he wondered. He set his drink down, walked past the room’s occupants, and headed upstairs. He walked to the end and opened the door, finding Veronica sitting on the bed reading a book.

“Your nose was always in one of those,” Buck said.

Veronica rolled her eyes. “It’s good to read books,” she said.

Buck nodded. “Maybe, but I think drinking with good company is better. So, why are you here all by your lonesome?”

“I figured you wouldn’t want me down there,” Veronica answered.

Buck’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“The mission earlier,” Veronica answered.

Buck rolled his eyes. “Really? That’s what this is about? Veronica, it was a simple Kraut AA emplacement. I would’ve just sent two of the squad to handle it.”

“That’s not the point, Buck,” Veronica said. “Several times throughout our deployment you have questioned my decisions and-”

Buck sighed. “Veronica, the only reason I don’t like you being with the squad is because I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I am more than capable, Buck,” Veronica said. “And I care about you too.”

Before he could stop himself, Buck said, “Oh, do you? Couldn’t even give a guy a ‘yes or no’ answer Does that sound like someone who cares?”

Veronica’s eyes widened. “That’s not fair,” she said.

“Oh, you got that right,” Buck replied.

Veronica looked at Buck with a sincere look and said, “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Yeah, well, here I am,” Buck said outstretching his hands.

Veronica rose from the bed and stood before Buck. “You want to know why I never gave you an answer? It’s because I refused to be another one of those girls; naïve, love-struck dames who marry their sweethearts the day before they ship out only to receive their death notice weeks later.”

Veronica paced back to the bed. “I knew there would be no stopping you when you decided to enlist, but when you asked me in the morning, all I could think about was what we could have, all swept away because you were killed.” She wiped a stray tear that fell. “That’s why I joined the OSS, to have something to distract myself from that empty feeling in my heart after we parted ways.”

Buck’s hostile attitude softened immediately. As he sat down, he could hear the squad drunkenly singing "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer".

“Veronica,” he said softly, “I asked you to marry me that morning so that I would always have in my mind something happy to keep me going. The idea that someone I love, someone I care about, is back home waiting, and that the only way I can see her again is by fighting and surviving this war.”

Buck slowly reached down and clasped Veronica’s hand in his; she in turned closed her hand around his. Sighing, Buck said, “I know that it was rocky when you first…’presented’ yourself to the squad, but you’re here, and we’ll get through this.”

Veronica slowly looked up at Buck. “Together?”

Buck nodded. “Together.”

The pair sat next to each other in relative silence before Veronica spoke up. “That wasn’t a spur of the moment.”

Buck looked at her. “What?”

Veronica smiled. “Christmas Eve at the garrison, when I pulled you into the closet. I _could_ have thought of something quick.”

Buck smirked and cocked an eyebrow. “Really? So why did you go with that?”

Veronica smiled as she delicately caressed Buck’s face. “Because I nearly forgot how nice it felt to be with you.”

Smiling wider, Buck asked, “Well, maybe you need a reminder.”

 _“Desperately,”_ Veronica said quietly.

The pair leaned towards each other and their lips met. Buck sighed in relief; he hadn’t felt anything like this in nearly a year and a half. That night at the garrison was rushed and fleeting, whereas this was slow, calming; he felt like time stopped.

Buck felt his shirt buttons loosen; Veronica’s fingers making short work of them. His hands roamed up, slipping her shirt down her right shoulder. The room was quiet, save for their breathing and the rustling of clothes. More clothes were discarded and their hands continued to explore as they leaned down onto the bed, nothing to disturb their moment of…

_BANG_

“Hey, Gunny! What’re ya-” Delaney boisterously said as he threw open the door. Buck and Veronica quickly pulled away and Delaney’s eyes widened when he saw their compromising position.

“Oh, God!” Delaney exclaimed as he slammed the door. The pair could continue to hear his shouts of disgusts down to the sitting room.

 _“Oh, the horror!”_ his muffled voice yelled.

 _“What? What’d you see?”_ Dutch asked.

 _“I just walked in on Gunny and the Captain getting ‘busy’!”_ Delaney answered.

Buck shook his head as he heard collective yells of shock and disgust as well as gagging sounds from the marines.

 _“Jesus!”_ Mickey yelled. _“It’s like walking in on your parents!”_

The squad’s gags were replaced with laughs, once more at Buck’s expense.

 _“Hey Gunny, just remember: wear prophylactics!”_ Romeo exclaimed through his laugh.

Mickey collected himself and yelled, _“Yeah! Remember Gunny: ‘Only Fools Don’t Wrap Their Tools’!”_

Buck was about to shout a response when Veronica grabbed his head. “Don’t worry about them.”

Smiling, Buck leaned back down to join Veronica. Below, through all their laughter, the squad counted down.

_“Three!”_

_“Two!”_

_“One!”_

_“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending's a little cheesy I know, but I wanted some good coming from these two before it all goes down.


	20. FUBAR

_San Vittore del Lazio, Italy_

_January 19 th, 1944_

Weeks passed until the Allied assault on the Winter Line commenced, with the British 56th and 5th Divisions crossing the Garigliano River to assault the western defenses. Near central Italy, the US Fifth Army was mobilizing to make a breakthrough at the German lines.

Alpha-Nine were gathered in front of Marcello and Deanna’s house, making last-minute checks to their weapons and gear. Buck and Veronica were with Colonel Hood to receive their assignment.

Romeo finished loading his Springfield when he said, “By the way, you guys hear about the 1st Division and the 82nd Airborne?”

The men looked at him and Dutch replied, “No. What?”

“They both got transferred out,” Romeo answered.

“What for?” Mickey asked.

Romeo shrugged. “No idea. Maybe relief.”

Delaney chuckled. “Two entire divisions relieved whenever we’re prepping to practically take Rome? I don’t believe it. Where’d they go?”

Romeo looked to Delaney. “Gee, I forgot to ask.”

The men chuckled just as Buck and Veronica returned. “Okay ladies, we got our job.”

“What’s on the menu, Gunny?” Dutch asked.

“Elements of the 36th Infantry will be making a crossing at the Gari River. The idea is to draw German forces away from Anzio. We’ll be crossing with the 143rd Infantry Regiment to the south while the 141st will cross at the north.”

The soldiers nodded and Buck clapped his hands. “Okay marines, let’s move.”

The squad gathered their gear and left the yard, walking towards the assembly area where various trucks were being loaded. Buck smiled when he saw a familiar face.

“Lieutenant Stuart,” he greeted. The two clasped and shook hands. “Together again.”

Stuart returned the smile. “Nice to see you again, Gunny. Although, it’s Captain now.” He let go of his hand and said, “We missed ya at Christmas.”

Chuckling, Buck replied, “I was in Rome.”

“No shit?” Stuart asked. “What were you doing there?”

“Work,” Buck answered.

“Bullshit,” Delaney said as he climbed into one of the trucks.

Buck shook his head and asked, “So, what’ll be on the itinerary today.”

Stuart smiled. “We’ll be assembling near the eastern bank. Come tomorrow, artillery will bombard the western bank at about 1800 hours. We’ll make our crossing at 1900 to secure a foothold while engineers get to work on the pontoon bridges so armor support can cross.”

Buck nodded as he turned and climbed into the truck with his squad. “Hope you don’t mind me squeezing a couple of my men with ya!” Stuart said.

“Bring ‘em on!” Buck replied. “I’ll make sure my boys don’t bite!”

Stuart nodded and waved his hands at four soldiers next to him. They boarded the truck, sitting next to the marines. The truck’s engine started up and lurched, slowly driving out of the assembly area and down the street.

“So, uh, you guys are the marines?” one of the soldiers asked.

Buck nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. Am I correct in saying you’re Army?”

The soldiers nodded and Romeo laughed. “Really? This is the best the Army can do?” He wiped his eye and said, “These kids are greener than shit.”

The marines chuckled as the soldiers looked between each other. One of them spoke up and asked, “So, what’s it like? Being a marine?”

Delaney smirked. “Okay. Imagine riding a bicycle down a massive flight of stairs.”

The marines howled with laughter and Dutch butt in. “No, no. It’s more like diving into a pool without any water.”

The marines laughed again, and the Army soldiers simply looked at each other. The trucks continued towards their destination, and about ten minutes later, the marines arrived at the assembly area,

“Here’s our stop, boys,” Buck said. “Let’s move.”

The marines shuffled past the soldiers and hopped off the truck, joining up with Stuart and a couple of his men.

“We’ll remain on standby here,” Stuart said. “We’re still waiting on the landing craft.”

Buck nodded. “Okay boys, find a place to sit, but be ready.”

The squad walked over to an unoccupied spot in the assembly area. They sat down on several crates and sighed. Dutch nodded at the river.

“Not much to it,” he commented.

Delaney nodded. “Yeah. Looks to be what? About a hundred feet?”

Buck smiled. “Well, this should be a cakewalk then.”

The men looked up to see trucks bringing in the 105mm artillery guns.

“Bastards ain’t gonna know what hit ‘em,” Romeo said.

Mickey chuckled. “Yeah, but what’re the chances we’ll hit anything?”

Delaney paused for a moment. “I say pretty fuckin’ low.”

…

_January 20 th, 1944_

_1900 hours_

The following evening arrived and the attack force was assembled. The newly-arrived landing craft were in the water and the soldiers were waiting to board. Stuart, Buck, and a few of the NCOs were gathered near the assembly area.

“We’ll send two rifle companies and Alpha-Nine across to secure a foothold across the river while engineers get to work constructing the bridges,” Stuart explained. He turned to his NCOs and said, “Once we get across I want you all ready for anything.”

The NCOs saluted and walked away. Before Stuart could join, Buck stopped him and asked, “Captain, you sure about this whole thing?”

Stuart was quiet for a moment and replied, “Honestly, no, Gunny.” With that, he walked away.

“Terrific,” Buck said with a sigh. He headed to the assembly area to rejoin his squad. He unslung his Thompson and said, “Okay ladies, this isn’t our usual method of entering the fray, but then again, whenever do we do anything properly?”

The marines all chuckled but stopped when the sound of artillery fire broke the silence. They looked to see the 105mm guns firing on the opposite bank. They turned and saw the soldiers that had ridden with them flinching after each shot.

“You boys better not flinch like that whenever you fire your rifles!” Mickey shouted.

Romeo smirked. “They look more likely to shot me than them.”

The marines laughed again as the soldiers readied themselves. The artillery barrage ceased and Stuart ran to the front.

“Okay, Baker Company, Charlie Company, get aboard! Lieutenant Greaves, you and your boys remain on standby ‘till we cross!”

“Okay boys, let’s move,” Buck ordered. The marines hustled towards one of the landing craft and boarded. Once full, the landing boats advanced across the river. The current shook their boat, causing some of the soldiers to lose their footing. The marines chuckled.

 _“Fuckin’ Army,”_ Dutch chuckled.

The landing craft crossed and reached the other bank. The ramp dropped and the men hustled off, taking positions along the bank. Buck directed his squad out of the landing craft and up the bank towards the treeline

Buck held his hand up and said, “Okay, hold your positions and keep your eyes-”

“INCOMING!”

Explosions rang out all over as enemy artillery hit the bank. The soldiers dove for cover but some were hit by the shells.

“Fuck!” Buck exclaimed. He waved his hand to his squad and any soldiers nearby and yelled, “Move your asses! Let’s go!”

Everyone readied their weapons and ran. Delaney flinched but shrugged through it when a shell kicked up dirt nearby. One of the soldiers tripped and fell to the ground.

“On your feet, buddy!” he yelled. “This ain’t the place to die!”

Buck and everyone made it to the treeline, where they found hundreds of German soldiers heavily dug-in…completely unscathed.

“Some fuckin’ job the artillery did!” Romeo shouted.

“Hold the line!” Veronica yelled as she readied her Thompson. “Nothing passes!”

The American forces braced themselves and opened fire. The German soldiers however were too well-prepared; trenches with MG emplacements and mortar pits pounded the Americans’ positions.

Buck reloaded his Thompson and heard a rumbling sound. “You hear that?!”

Delaney inserted a new clip into his Garand and was about to shoot again when he spotted the source of the noise. “Shit! Enemy armor incoming!”

Through the trees beyond and from hiding, German tanks and half-tracks emerged and fired on their positions.

“Mickey, get your bazooka up!” Buck ordered.

Mickey set his carbine down and unslung his bazooka. He inserted and prepped the rocket before hefting the launcher.

“Firing!” he yelled. The rocket sailed from the launcher, striking one of the tanks in the front; however, the armor was too thick.

“Fuck!” Mickey yelled. He inserted another rocket and aimed, this shooting and hitting one of the half-tracks.

“Mickey, take out those tanks!” Buck yelled as he fired more bursts.

“Armor’s too thick,” Mickey replied.

“Aim for the treads,” Veronica said.

Nodding, Mickey readied another rocket and aimed. He hit the left treads of one of the tanks, blowing it off the wheels and disabling it.

“Nice shot, Mickey!” Delaney yelled.

Mickey retrieved another rocket. “Last rocket!” he announced. He loaded and fired it, hitting another half-track.

The opposing forces continued to fight for nearly an hour. However, the Americans failed to gain any more ground, and more German armor began to appear, as well as more soldiers.

“Shit’s hitting the fan!” Romeo yelled as he fired another round.

Buck leaned back and reloaded his Thompson when he saw Stuart approaching.

“Gunnery Sergeant Buck!” he yelled.

Buck fired another burst and said, “Hello captain. I think we’re going to be a little behind linking with the 141st!”

“We aren’t linking with them!” Stuart replied.

“What?”! Buck asked.

“The 141st landing force hit a minefield at their zone! They didn’t have enough to hold the Krauts!” Stuart yelled. “We’re pulling back!”

Buck nodded. “You organize and get these men out! My squad and I will cover them!”

Stuart stood and yelled, “Fall back! Fall! Back!”

The soldiers scooted themselves back and turned to run back to the landing craft. Buck and the squad kept firing, but the Germans were quickly advancing.

“Okay, let’s move!” Buck ordered.

The marines stood and ran from their cover. The soldiers on the bank continued firing before boarding the landing craft.

“Hustle, ladies!” Buck yelled.

Dutch groaned. “I’m coming! Keep your-” His eyes widened and he yelled in pain. He dropped his BAR and collapsed.

“DUTCH!” Buck yelled.

The marines instantly ran for their fallen friend. They surrounded him while Delaney and Mickey provided covering fire.

“Shit!” Buck exclaimed. “Dutch, you okay?”

Dutch hissed. “Ah. I’m…I’m fine. Just hit in my leg.”

“Can you walk?” Buck asked.

Dutch sat up and tried to set his foot down but groaned in pain. “Dammit, no. I can’t move it.”

“Gunny, Krauts are about to overwhelm us!” Delaney yelled.

Dutch waved his hand. “Just leave me here for Jerry. I’ll be alright.”

Buck looked at Dutch. “Like fuck we’re leaving you.” He looked to the others and said, “Captain, Romeo, Mickey, grab a limb. Rookie, grab Dutch’s BAR and give us covering fire.”

“You got it!” Delaney said. He crouched and slung his Garand before picking up the BAR.

“Okay,” Buck said as he grabbed Dutch’s right arm. “One, two, three, lift!”

The four lifted Dutch by his arms and legs and hurried towards the landing craft. Mickey groaned as he hefted Dutch’s weight.

“Jesus, Dutch!” Mickey groaned. “Lay off the corned beef!”

Despite being shot in the leg, Dutch laughed. “Hey, if you eat enough of that shit then it becomes somewhat palatable.”

Delaney fired bursts of the BAR, hitting a few of the Germans that made it over the edge. Once it was empty, he hurried to catch up with the squad as they boarded the landing craft. The ramp closed and the boat reversed away and made its way back across the river.

Delaney leaned back and sighed as he observed the group inside the boat; there were far fewer than when they first crossed. He noticed Dutch leaning against the side.

“You okay, Dutch?” he asked.

Dutch groaned and replied. “I’ll live. Thanks, Rookie.”

Delaney pointed to the BAR and asked, “How the hell do you lug that thing around all day?”

Dutch smirked. “Sorry, Rookie. I’m aware not everyone is used to hefting around something big and heavy all day.”

Despite the beating they received, the boat’s occupants laughed. The boats reached the other bank and the ramps dropped. Medics immediately flocked to retrieve the wounded.

“Take care of this one,” Buck said as he pointed at Dutch. “He’s ‘fragile’.”

The medic chuckled and replied, “We’ll be sure to.”

Dutch waved as he was carried away on a stretcher. “See ya later, boys.”

The squad waved at Dutch as the medics took him onto the nearby truck. Buck turned to the squad and asked, “Everyone else okay?”

The squad nodded and collected themselves. After a few moments, Romeo asked, “So, does anyone mind telling me what the fuck that was?”

Delaney nodded. “Yeah. We had no cover whatsoever, and the artillery barrage didn’t do shit.”

“Jesus, we lost a lot back there,” Mickey added.

Buck nodded in agreement and spotted Stuart. He headed towards the lieutenant and stopped him. “Captain, the Germans are too entrenched over that bank.”

Stuart nodded. “I know. That’s why we’re attacking again.”

“What?” Buck asked.

Stuart nodded. “Major General Keyes has ordered it. We’re to attack tomorrow and maintain a foothold on that bank until armor can be brought in to support.”

Buck pointed to the bank. “LT, you saw that resistance, right? There’s no way in hell we’ll manage that.”

Stuart nodded. “Well aware, Gunny.” With that, he walked away.

Buck sighed and returned to his squad. “Well boys, get some rest. We attack the bank again tomorrow.”

“What?” Mickey asked. “No way in hell we’re being sent back.”

“Gunny, we got our asses handed to us over there,” Delaney pointed out. “We don’t have adequate force or armor support to carry this out.”

“Hey, you want to bitch, take it up with the brass,” Buck snapped. “Otherwise, get some extra ammo, get some sleep, and be ready to move once the word drops.”

The marines rolled their eyes as they walked passed to the ammo truck. Veronica approached and asked, “Surely you know this isn’t going to end well, right?”

Buck sighed. “At this point, who the hell knows?”

…

The next day came. More landing boats had been brought to aid the second crossing. By about 1600 hours, the force was prepped to attack again

Buck walked towards the gathered squad and said, “Okay, ladies, let’s move.”

“We getting any more support, Gunny?” Mickey asked.

Buck shook his head. “No. The men here is what we’ve got.”

The marines groaned. _“Unbelievable,”_ Delaney muttered as they gathered their weapons and made their way to the boats. More men from the 143rd were boarding, along with Stuart.

Romeo chuckled and extended his arms. “Okay boys, take two!” He snapped his arms together like a movie clapperboard.

The soldiers let out a few small, half-hearted laughs. Buck smacked Romeo’s shoulder and said, “Hey, cut back on the sarcasm, will ya?”

“It’s the only thing keeping me going, Gunny,” Romeo replied.

The marines took their spots on the landing craft and the boat departed. The attacking force crossed the river once again. The boats groaned as they dug into the bank and the ramps dropped. The soldiers hustled towards their original positions.

“Move up,” Stuart said.

The soldiers made it to their spots and hunkered down. Buck and the marines joined them and stood by.

“Hold,” Stuart ordered.

Buck pulled his charging handle; the other soldiers all prepped their weapons.

_“Hold.”_

Delaney tightened the grip on his rifle, flicking the safety off.

“Now!”

The soldiers stood and yelled, opening fire on the completely unprepared Germans. The Americans overwhelmed their lines, forcing them out of their trenches and foxholes and sending them running. The American forces took over the trenches.

“Okay boys, hold the line here!” Stuart yelled.

Buck and the marines braced themselves in the trench, firing on the escaping German soldiers. However, they took cover behind another set of trenches and foxholes. MG fire peppered the American lines.

“Dammit!” Buck yelled. “They were prepared for us!”

“Shocker!” Delaney exclaimed as he fired his Garand.

Buck fired a burst and yelled, “Marines, split up and provide support along the lines. Keep on ‘em.”

“You got it, Gunny,” Romeo replied. The marines all split and took to other positions along their line.

Hours passed. The American forces managed to gain some more ground, but they quickly became too thinly stretched. More soldiers were being landed, but they weren’t enough to retain their foothold.

At about the five-hour mark of the battle, Delaney was fighting with several 143rd soldiers. He fired three more times until his clip _pinged_. He ducked back and removed another clip to reload.

“Machine gun!” he yelled. “Eleven o’clock!”

The soldiers fired on the group of Germans attempting to set up an MG closer to their positions. Delaney set his rifle down and unclipped a grenade. He pulled the pin and threw it. He looked behind him and saw another soldier running towards them.

“Just got the word from Stuart! All forces are to fall back to the treeline!” he yelled.

“What?!” Delaney replied. “We’ve got no cover!”

You stay here, you die!” the runner yelled. “You need to-”

The rest of the runner’s sentence was cut short when three shots hit him, sending him to the ground.

“Fuck!” Delaney exclaimed. He turned around and saw more Germans approaching. “Okay, we need to move! Just keep running!”

The soldiers nodded and waited. Delaney counted down from three and yelled, “GO!” The group stood and ran from their cover back to the treeline.

Delaney hustled, outrunning the soldiers around him. One in front of him suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. Before Delaney could reach out to help him up, gunfire hit the fallen soldier, killing him.

Delaney growled as he ran past and returned to the treeline. He turned and began firing once more on the advancing Germans.

“Hold ‘em here!”

“Where’s our fucking armor support?!”

“Shit! Sarge’s gone!”

Delaney gritted his teeth as a combination of gunfire and shouting, panicked voices filled his ears. A shout grabbed his attention and he looked to see a younger soldier on the ground, his bloodied hand clutching his stomach.

“Shit!” he yelled. He dove to the ground and pulled the soldier back to the treeline. The young soldier yelled in pain as Delaney set him up on a tree.

“Medic!” Delaney shouted. “Medic!” He turned back to the soldier and said, “Just keep pressure on it. You’ll be alright.”

“I’m gonna die!” the soldier yelled.

“Stay calm,” Delaney said. “You’ll be alright. What’s your name?”

“B-Brown,” the soldier weakly stammered.

“Alright, Brown, you’re going to be fine,” Delaney said. He turned again and yelled, “I need a goddamned medic!” He turned back to Brown and lightly slapped his head.

“Hey, buddy. Keep your eyes open for me, alright,” Delaney said. Brown took a deep breath and opened his eyes fully. “Good, that’s good,” Delaney said. “Keep talking too. Any news from home?”

Brown nodded. “Yeah. Ma just gave birth. I’ve got a little sister back home.”

Delaney smiled. “That’s great news, bud.”

The two chuckled and Brown lifted himself. “Ain’t it? I can’t wait to see her.”

Blood spattered across Delaney’s face as a bullet hit Brown square in the heart, killing him instantly. Delaney fell back into a nearby tree, shock gripping him.

Delaney stared at Brown’s dead body. Almost instantly, the battle became background noise as he looked around, seeing dead, dying, and wounded men all over.

“ROOKIE!”

Delaney’s head snapped up and he saw his squad gathered near one of the newly arrived boats. Buck was waving for him.

“Get your ass over here!” Buck yelled. “We’re pulling out!”

Delaney nodded and grabbed his Garand. He ran away from the treeline and back to the boat. He hurried aboard with the squad, and they hunkered down as the boat filled to the brim.

“That’s everyone!” Buck yelled. “Get us out of here!”

The coxswain nodded and raised the ramp. The boats pulled away and turned into the main part of the river, making their way back to the friendly side.

The soldiers all collapsed against the boat, exhaustion claiming them all. It was a silent trip; the only noises were the labored breathing of the soldiers and the boat’s engines.

The boats reached the opposite bank and the ramp dropped. The soldiers pushed themselves up and walked off. The 143rd soldiers and Alpha-Nine gathered at the assembly area, the marines separating. They found their usual spot and sat down.

No words were exchanged; no talking, no laughs or sarcastic quips between them. Buck looked up and saw Stuart slowly walking past, a lit cigarette in his lips.

“Captain,” Buck said.

Stuart looked up as Buck walked towards him. The two clasped hands and he said, “Glad you got out of there, Gunny.”

Buck nodded. “What about you?”

Stuart sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “My regiment was able to get out without much in the way of casualties.” He paused. “Can’t say the same for the 141st.”

“What do you mean?” Buck asked.

Stuart tilted his head back to another group of men in the distance. “That’s all that’s left.” Buck looked behind him and his eyes widened; only forty men had managed to make it back.

“Take care, Gunny,” Stuart said as he continued.

Buck sighed and shook his head. He returned to his squad and sat back down. “This whole operation was fucked.”

“Completely,” Mickey added.

“Absolutely,” Delaney commented.

The squad remained sitting as another soldier approached. “Cigarette anyone?”

The marines nodded and accepted the cigarettes from the soldier. He stood in front of Delaney and asked, “What about you?”

Mickey finished lighting his and answered, “Don’t bother. Rookie don’t smoke.”

Delaney looked at the soldier as he walked away and then back to Mickey. Before he could get it to his lips, he took Mickey’s cigarette from him and placed it between his lips. He took a long drag from it and exhaled, sighing as the smoke cloud billowed. He looked at Mickey’s shocked expression.

“No time like the present,” Delaney muttered. He remained quiet as he continued to smoke.


End file.
